Chapter 77
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
“We have reports that the vampires have joined the army in front of Elysia.” Leoric said as he walked at Mephisto’s side.
“It doesn’t matter if they’ve joined. Is it still only Leviathan? He’s the only upper-tiered deity there?”
“Yes, he’s the only tier-one deity that appears to be there.” Leoric watched as a cruel smile rose over his father’s lips.
“Perfect,” Mephisto said in haughty arrogance.
“Once Leviathan is out of the way, I’ll be able to flatten all the others.
He’s the only one who is a threat against me.
” He grabbed something hidden in his shirt and smirked.
The time had finally come when he would use the ace he had up his sleeve.
It would only give him a few moments of time, but that was all he needed.
He only needed to freeze Leviathan for a few minutes …
just long enough to kill the deity. With Leviathan dead, there was no one who could stop him.
He would ravage all of those who opposed him and take the little fairy princess for himself.
“Make sure you secure the princess for me after I take care of Leviathan,” Mephisto ordered Leoric.
Leoric scowled and rolled his eyes. “I don’t understand it at all. Wouldn’t your offspring be stronger with another demon? I mean, look at me. Look at my strength. Why waste your time on a weak fairy?”
Mephisto growled and glared at his son with disgust. “You are too narrow-minded to understand, aren’t you?
That or perhaps too stupid. Fairy magic is unlike any other magic of this world.
It’s different from witch magic and demon magic.
It’s different from deity magic. It’s a magic that has a life force of its own.
It’s a power that develops within you over time.
It never stops growing. Can you imagine mixing a power like that?
The possibilities …” He looked at Leoric.
“Besides …” He licked his lips as a smirk rose over his face.
“You know how much fun it is to tame a willful bride?”
Leoric almost choked. “I’m sorry … did you say ‘bride’?”
“Why not?” Mephisto looked at his son, all but daring him to object.
Leoric didn’t get it. It was like his half-brother and father had become obsessed with a weaker race.
Honestly, it disgusted him. The idea of touching one of those sweet, floral-scented fairies was revolting.
In his eyes, it was counterproductive. How did they know they would create a more powerful species for their side?
The child would be part fairy and could easily rise up against them.
His father could very well be sealing their doom.
Whatever. He wanted no part of it. Even the idea of it was repulsive.
“Do you think the Moon Goddess will sit idly by after you kill Leviathan?” Leoric decided to change the topic. There were not a lot of things that could turn his stomach, but procreating with a fairy was one of them.
Mephisto stopped walking, allowing the horde of demons to slowly march away.
He turned and looked at Leoric. “We have to play their game in order to win. Selene and Kali won’t do anything as long as there’s hope to bring their precious Endymion back.
We only need to make sure the Gemini souls survive.
The fairy princess is one of them. The other will be the one staying close to her side.
We only need to avoid killing those two. So make sure that happens.”
He looked at Leoric darkly. “If one of the Gemini twins dies,” Mephisto curled his lip up angrily, “that damn goddess will make sure the world suffers for her mistakes.” He then smirked slightly.
“Not sure how that goddess is much different from us demons.” He chuckled at this and looked at the perplexed look on Leoric’s face.
He obviously wasn’t following along, and this frustrated him.
“The goddess will suck this world into the black hole if she doesn’t get her way.
That is the true nature of the perfect Moon Goddess.
She is childish and petty. She is so stuck on one man that she ignores everyone else’s existence.
She refuses to look at anyone else … so focused on what she lost that she can’t try something new. ”
“Oh. My.” Leoric held his hands up and then stared his father down. “I have never been more disappointed in you than I am at this moment,” Leoric said coldly. “You might be an original demon, but you have gone soft.”
Mephisto scoffed and stared at his son. “Would you like me to teach you a painful lesson in the difference between us?”
“You are in love with the damn Moon Goddess. That’s what all of this is about, isn’t it?
Damnit. I knew you agreed to this too easily.
You’re doing it to be spiteful. She never showed interest in you after Endymion was gone.
That’s the problem here, the reason you’ve gone down this road.
It’s because of the Moon Goddess, isn’t it? ”
“You can’t understand, son. You’ll never understand.
Demons are supposed to take what they desire.
It’s what we do. Instead, I’m mocked for wanting something that’s considered unobtainable.
Am I doing all of this to piss off Selene?
Sure, why the hell not? And to make sure I really hit her where it’ll hurt, I’m taking that fairy princess she favors so much.
I’m going to make a mess of her. Selene won’t be able to interfere, because she will still be holding out for damn hope. ”
Mephisto started walking again, to catch up to the horde. Leoric met his pace and stayed by his side.
“What are you doing, Dad? You’re better than this,” Leoric whispered out.
“When you have a craving for something, until you get it, you’re never satisfied.
No matter how many different substitutions you try, they will never be what you’ve been craving.
You never focus on the bigger picture, son.
You’re so focused on world domination that you’re not thinking ahead.
If you want to be on top, you must plan for the present and the future.
” Mephisto looked ahead and continued walking slowly.
“And what future do you want now?” Leoric asked, looking up at his father.
“One where Selene will know despair.” Mephisto smirked. A cloud covered over the moonlight as they walked in the darkness. He glanced upward and sneered at the diminishing light. “What’s the matter, my lady? Don’t wish to see how this ends?”
The tapping of drums continued. No other sound was heard. There were no crickets or tree frogs making themselves known on this night. Instead, darkness overtook the area as the cloud remained, covering the moon.
The drums were louder now, and they could now hear the sounds of marching. Everyone was slowly moving into positions to brace for the incoming demon army.
Hunter hugged Reiya tight. “Be careful.”
“Don’t worry, I will. You’re the one I’m more worried about,” Reiya said, arching her brow at him.
“I’ll protect him,” Freja said, kissing Hunter’s cheek.
“We’ll be leading the werewolves. But we’ll be just over the dip there.” Hunter motioned to where the werewolves were now shifting and getting ready.
“Sons.” Asher looked at his three boys. “Fight conservatively. Don’t take any unnecessary risks.” He then looked at Brody. “The kelpies are fighting alongside you. I think Chelsie insisted on that. Rowan is here to lead them.”
Brody smiled and nodded his head. “Don’t worry, Dad. We’re all going to make it.”
They each took turns hugging their parents, then each other. “Just another day in the Chain family paradise.” Chasen chuckled and squeezed Brody’s chest hard. “No dying this time, alright?”
Brody chuckled and nodded. He then grabbed Hunter by the head and pulled him into a hug. “Stay safe, little brother.”
“I’m not so little anymore.” Hunter chuckled.
“You’ll always be my little brother,” Brody said with a warm smile.
“Take care of yourself. I want both you and Hunter at the after party.” Reiya squeezed her arms around Chasen tightly and he hoisted her in the air, twirling her from side to side.
“Love you, Ray Ray.” Chasen set her down gently as the vibrations of the incoming army began to make the ground tremble beneath them.
He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.
He felt reluctant to leave her and Brody’s side.
With a deep breath, he released her and looked up at Leviathan.
“You take care of yourself, too. And you …” He then turned to Xander.
“You keep my baby sister safe. You’re a dragon king, so I’m depending on you … ” he croaked out quietly.
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll stay safe by my side.
” Xander looked at her brothers and then Asher and Lita as he said this.
He then turned to Levi and gave him an affirmative smile.
He would protect Reiya no matter what. He wanted Lila to stay by his side too, but she’d insisted on fighting next to Dex since Ciana would be by Reiya.
He looked beyond Levi to where the dragons were assembling. They were all shifting as well. Ciana was giving Dex one last hug goodbye. He also needed to see Lila before the war began. “Please excuse me for a moment.”
Lita hugged and kissed all of her children, including Freja and Lee.
“I know I shouldn’t be expecting miracles, but I hope we don’t suffer many casualties.
And I need you all to make it through this.
I love you all. You’re all my family. Now, let’s push all of our buried anger forward and rid the world of the army coming for us.
Don’t hold anything back. And remember to trust in yourselves and your hidden strengths. ”
“And if either of you two boys lose to a hellhound, I’m going to appoint new guardians.” Grayson smirked at the two bear cubs he helped raise.
“Easy there, old man. I worry you might break a hip while fighting,” Brody teased back, and Grayson chuckled lowly.
“You just better hope I don’t outdo you out there. Time to see what a real guardian can do.” Grayson winked and grinned widely.
“Alright. I need to get going and rally the packs. See you for dinner.” Hunter smiled widely at everyone as he walked away with Freja and Chasen.
“Look after yourselves, too. Be careful out there.” Asher clasped Caden’s arm, then looked at Garrett and Caspian.
“Hey, don’t worry about us. You’re the weak fairy king, remember?” Caspian teased his old alpha.
Asher chuckled. There was a time in his young life when he thought fairies were weak. That was before he knew anything about guardians and the fairy world. Man was he na?ve.
“Like Hunter said, see you for dinner.” Garrett winked at Asher and Lita. The three left their former luna and alpha and headed down to join the werewolves as they followed their Alpha King into battle.
“Come on, Leet. We need to address the fairies as well,” Asher said quietly. They both looked at Reiya and Brody, who were talking with Levi. “We’ve raised them to be strong and taught them the best we could. Let’s believe in them.”
“Mmm. You’re right. That’s all we can do,” Lita whispered before they too went to perform their duties.
“I’m going to go heckle Weston some more. Let him know how much more suitable it is for him to die because he has no mate to leave behind.” Brody chuckled and headed toward the young king, leaving Reiya to have a moment alone with Lee.
“No matter what, we’re going to live through this. I won’t lose to Mephisto. I don’t want you worrying about me,” Lee said, wrapping his arms around Reiya, pulling her deep into his chest.
“Our lives are connected. I know you’ll give it everything you can in order to win,” Reiya said quietly.
She wanted to tell him about their child.
She knew he deserved to know. But not now, not on the brink of war.
And not before she entered the black hole.
She didn’t want him worrying any more than he already was.
“I love you, Reiya. My fairy,” Lee whispered and lifted her face to his. He leaned down, pressed his warm lips against hers, and gave her the softest, sweetest kiss. She was his reason for living. His heart belonged only to her. And he would love her for the rest of their lives and beyond.
Hunter paused and pulled Freja to the side. “Don’t get yourself killed trying to protect me, Freja. If I’m in danger, don’t worry about me. I can handle myself.”
Freja giggled and shook her head. “Is that what you’re going to do if I’m in trouble?” She watched as a wry grin formed on his mouth. “That’s what I thought. Don’t be telling me to do something you have no intention of doing. We fight together. Side by side. Protecting each other.”
“I love you, Freja.”
Freja smiled up at him lovingly. “I love you, my mate … my alpha.” This was the first time she’d ever referred to Hunter as her alpha. A sign showing she had fully accepted being his luna. She reached up on her tiptoes, and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him.
He held her possessively and growled into her lips, his wolf accepting her acknowledgement. Their kiss was raw and passionate, a sense of urgency in it. He pulled apart and panted into her lips. “When this is over, my queen … when this is all over …”
He didn’t need to say it. She understood exactly what he meant.
And when this was all over, she also had something important to tell him.
Something that was going to change their lives forever.
She was excited and nervous, and couldn’t wait to see his reaction.
Damn wolf … he did make sure he spread his seed before the war.
She’d warned him, though, that even if she was pregnant, she would stay by his side to fight.
She would make sure she protected her mate.
And even though it wasn’t ideal, she was glad to have the proof of their love growing inside her.