"Gianna!" I heard Grandma Ruby call from behind the door her voice in distress. She came in a hurry, her hands covered in blood and her face in fear.
'BLOOD'
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Get me my herb bag quickly" she dashed out again. I yanked the bag off the hook on the kitchen wall. I quickly went out and saw her kneeling over a body
I hand her the bag quickly, she took the bag rummaging through it hastily. I came clear to see the man laying on his back breathing heavily, his shirt was unbuttoned showing his torso covered in claw wounds and so was his bearded face. Grandma Ruby brought out a bottle of grounded herb and remove the cork, she took a handful of the powder and rub it on his wounds. He groaned painfully moving his legs under him in visible agony. I was scared to ask as I will know eventually, so I had to ask. I had never seen grandma Ruby that disorganized and scared.
"What happened to him?"
"The vampires attacked. Thank God you came back at the right time" she spoke quickly
"My God"
"They are going to need medical assistance, I will be going but you must stay here"
"No, I'm not. You will need help. I'm coming with" Neither me or Ruby had the time to argue over me following after because I will with or without her consent. My heart jumped inside my chest as I repeatedly glance to the path that will lead me to the village. I couldn't imagine what happened there
After finishing up with the man giving him some of those serums, he assured he will be ok after a while of absolute resting. He didn't need anything else resulting to the ability of a werewolf to heal more quickly than humans and that he wounds weren't that deep. We made it fast to the village, the sight I left wasn't the sight I met. I shouldn't have left like that, I wasn't wrong feeling distress. It wasn't just for no reason.
The village was in total chaos voices ringing in distress everything flipped over, some running across to get help and others helping already. It sight dropped my heart heavily, again I was responsible. We kept going until we found the critically wounded.
Grandma Ruby hunkered down on a woman, that was completely mutilated with scratched, slit across the neck. Her eyes were already closed shut while a male which was clearly her mate was sitting by the other side hand in hand with tears filled in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. She's gone"
He roared a heartbreaking cry in shells of pain. It was as he could feel her slipping away from him, my heart pinched painfully as bitterness accumulate in the back of my throat.
"Ruby, Gianna."A call in distress made us both look over our shoulders to Maya whom was standing behind us in a confused state, it was clear she was tearing.
"You need to come with me"
We hurried towards her to a bay, where most of the injured werewolves were laid on their back on the floor. Some motionless and others bent with pain, quivering against the dirt floor
I followed behind them my gaze sifting from one injured to another, only to get worse. Three other healers were already working on some but grandma Ruby was the best at the business so she was on high demand, relatives to the injured had her name echoing across the area.
I had a gag coming up my throat as I couldn't stand seeing much blood, I breathe in quickly but only to inhale the metallic stench of blood. Stopping I gasped at the sight of the familiar face, groaning in pain with clenched teeth, a hand wrapped over his torso while he bled from the mouth. It was absolutely terrifying
'Leo'
Grandma Ruby set her pouch down and examined him, first taking his hand away that was desperately lashing to his torso and second taking his shirt off and asking him to try lay as still as possible.
His torso was discolored, mostly his upper torso. I mustn't be a healer to know how bad that was.
"He sustained some fracture in the ribs, I could need some thron leaves and a habrew vines." she said and Maya acted upon it quickly disappearing. I turned away from him not wanting not witness any of that pain right through the corner of my eyes I saw leader Kiba storming towards us in anger.
"Healer Rubïn!" He called his voice full, he had three guards with him. He seemed to be physically ok. Ruby quickly left Leo's side and stood in front of the clan leader
"How bad is the situation?"
Ruby hesitated before answering
"It's the worst one yet, we will need to have all the injured into the healing quarter" She urged
"I'm afraid we are out of that option. The healing bay is barely standing. You have to cope elsewhere" leader Kiba informed bitterly. He let Ruby go off to her work for the mean time to be able to stabilize the injured before proper arrangements were to be made for them while clan leader Kiba further checked on his people.
I couldn't believe Cassuis would do something like that just to get back at me for escaping from him, killing and injuring innocent people.
A while of helping some up to shelters or cleaning out the broken pieces of a home, I came back to the festival ground that got the most hit. Looking around I sighted a group of kids afar, away from the messy area they seemed to be pretty shaken up. Three in number; a girl in the middle with a boy on either side of her snuggled together in a blanket watching in terror. I couldn't imagine how they were feeling witnessing such an act of brutality, although birthed in an uncharted territory. Violence can never be gotten used to
I hunkered down before them noticing the girl in the middle had a trial of crusty blood down the side of her face.
"Are you guys ok?" I asked softly from a satchel hanging on my side, I pulled out a moist clothe and handed it to her but she didn't take it.
The other two seem to be paying good attention to me but her that I was in front of seemed to be captivated by something terrifying behind me.
The boys nodded and one answered "Yes, we are fine" I squeezed his hand a bit offering a quick smile, I looked back to the girl again.
"Are you ok?" I emphasized, she locked eyes with me. They were filled with pain and hatred.
"She doesn't talk" the boy from her right said to me. "She's our sister. She's fine"
I nodded pushing down the handkerchief in her hand and got on my feet. I walked away from them walking by different groups of morning and bleeding asking if I would help in any way possible. I ran back and forth getting hurt people some medicine to help with the pain or healing.
"Christopher? Are you ok?" I recognized one of Phoenix friends whom had just a minor scrape down his elbow; the boy looked horrified almost different from how I saw him a few moments ago.
"Yes, I'm fine but can you please help my mom" She was laid down beside him, quite conscious but visibly in pain but it didn't look critical. I didn't have much to offer to her but one of the moisten handkerchief I was carrying. I handed it to Christopher to help clean some of the blood on his mother
"I will be right back, ok!" I said quickly getting on my feet to get her some pain reliever. After seeing Christopher, I remembered all those vibrant kids; Phoenix I haven't seen him yet
I stopped from my way getting back to grandma Ruby, just a feet or two from reaching her. The cry of a woman hunkered down over a body caught my divided attention. I couldn't see who it was because she completely blocked the view of the body unless for the little legs.
"Just hang on" I heard her say before quickly getting on her feet hurrying towards grandma Ruby. As soon as she wasn't blocking my view i found myself rushing, tearing, my heart racing with fear as I kneel before the body of the child–Phoenix.
"Phoenix!"
I towered going through my mind fast enough so my body couldn't act to that speed. My hands reaching to touch his bare body which was just covered waist down by some shorts but retreating because I didn't know what to do, how to help or where to touch over and not cause him more pain as he was covered in blood. Tightened around the chest with heaviness of emotions and around my throat was more bitterness, I was confused and I wanted to throw up.
I was shaking with silent tears, his eyes slowly looking into my face. Gashes of different sizes covered his body, it looked like the herd of vampires ran over him during their exit. There was zero movements or cries from him he just laid still, staring at me without blinking, my worries rose. I knew all the limits of pain had been reached.
"Grandma!" I screamed
"Ruby come over here quickly" I screamed looking over my shoulder to see if she was actually moving towards us and she was. Looking back at him, his head finally rolled over all the way to the side, so it was easier to look at me now
"Phoenix. Phoenix do you hear me?" I pleaded "Please don't do that. Speak. What hurts? How can I help? What do you need?" I asked scrambling over words as I continue to plead tears leaving my eyes as they effortlessly left his
"Grandma Ruby now! Please" She was already by me at the time looking over Phoenix that had his eyes fixed on me, his chest was rising and falling in an irrhythmic order.
I didn't dare look away from him although I couldn't stand the blood seeping out of him. I could see the steadiness in his eyes behind the unspeakable pain, he was weirdly at peace.
"We are losing him, do something!" I yelled again
"I can only do something if you calm down and help me" Grandma Ruby said handing over the bag of herbs to me.
I rummage over it almost immediately recognizing the vile she used on the other man we left at our home. I brought it out and hand it to Ruby which she wasn't taking from me, she simply was watching Phoenix's unmoving body.
"Please help the poor kid. He's all I've got of my sister" I heard from the background. She must be the lady that was hunkered down over him earlier.
"There is no much I can do. He's been severely injured" Grandma Ruby stated
"Don't you have some herbs or something to help him heal?" I asked agitated glancing at healer Ruby.
"It doesn't work that way Gia. It's not magic" she tried to reason with me
"Let me help" I urged or partly ordered. I saw her eyes thrust with disapproval.
"Come with me right away" She quickly asked me to join her away from the ears.
"I can help heal him, please. Let me do it"
"I cannot let you do that, it's not safe. I will do what I can with him, you stay out of it" She said in a whisper
"I cannot just stand and let him die!" I was persistent not to let him go although it was clear Phoenix was on his way. I didn't want to lose myself, Phoenix was a figure of strength to me in a way I was desperate to save myself.
"It can get you exposed and alot will get worse than it ever did before"
"I swear nobody will know I healed him"
"This is different, it's not what you think—"
"He's just a kid. He's dying out there on the cold ground, we are wasting time on this needless argument. He needs assistance now. Isn't what you do helping people?" I tried whispering too but it wasn't working anymore, I could feel my blood boil and my soul leaping to heal him. Grandma Ruby was quiet for a moment, I could see empathy in her eyes for having to tell me Phoenix was not going to make it but I wasn't taking that as an answer
"I will help him with or without your consent"
Saying that Ruby grabbed me by the arm and not like an over a half Millennium old woman but like in her youth. I was halted forcefully bringing me back
"No. You are not doing this. Not everything is about you, this is bigger than you not because you can't do it but because you will not. There is alot you don't know about yourself but I do. You will listen" she wasn't being persuasive anymore. I was angered by me but not as I was angered by my invisibility. She unhanded moving out of my way
"If you decide to do this then you will have to watch many more just like him murdered and their blood will be on your hands"
"This is no ordinary attack. It's a message and it's time before everybody realizes it "
"But watch him die?!" I said my voice laced in pain.
"Only if it is his time"
"Gianna go home! I will take care of things here" in a softer tone but firm enough to know that it was an order but my feet refused to move.
It was like the ground beneath my feet was oddly vibrating taking in the heat evolving from my body and melted away sinking me into it and then rapidly cooling. My gaze fixed over to them trying to lash on to Phoenix's slipping soul and never let go. Time froze, heart beat thrashed in my ears, tear duck in action, pain spiked. I remembered, Elisabeth's death. How she was looking at me before she blacked out, the look in Phoenix's eyes played in my mind how he was fighting to keep sight of the time he had left. It looked like a plead for me to save him because I could, it was like he knew.
Hatred grew
"Gia, Ruby said to get you back home" Hunter said standing by my side. I forgotten I left him over here after seeing the victims, he looked fine to me through my pheripheral vision. Being fixed to a point I couldn't move or speak from the blockage in my throat. I just stared ahead as I slowly saw grandma Ruby getting on her feet finally calling it time. He has passed as I stupidly watched him do while I had the power running through my veins, just a single drop could heal him. He would have been with me that instant, I was useless.
"I'm so sorry" he said supportively.
"If grandma Ruby couldn't save him, then nobody could."He added
'I can,'
With that spoken I turned around hearing his relative's voice rang in pain through my ears. I walked, with regret and pain in every step and Hunter following behind in a close distance.
I crashed into my bed as soon as I reached the cabin closing the door to my room, if it had a key I would lock it. I needed to see no body, not even myself. Flat on my tummy, tears soaking my pillow I was looking through the trees out my window to the eerie night.
I fell into a silent sleep with nothing but my conscious beating me up. I rolled over only to see the sun was already up and i was somehow tucked in, grandma Ruby must have been here. I blinked so many times to clear my webbed vision, as soon as I was fully awake again I recall everything.
I sat up holding my heavy head, running my fingers over my face and stood up. I opened my door and went over to the living room. The house was quiet, she must have left for the village to check on the injured.
"Good morning" Hunter said from behind coming from the kitchen. I turned around and gave a simple nod.
"Breakfast is ready. Ruby is at the village"
"Ok" I responded taking my way to the kitchen. I had a bowl of fresh fruits and wheat bread and butter. He sat watching me silently as the sound of the crispy crust crushing in-between my teeth.
"How are they?" I asked after I was done chewing.
"They are making a recovery. The morning has started for the lost" he explained while I simply stared at him, the blockage was back up again. Looking down to my hand I placed the bread down on the dish, I wasn't feeling the need for any food.
"Join me for a walk"
We walked for a better half of silence listening to the leaves crunch under our weight and twigs snapping. The birds were also silent to honor the dead. I looked to my side at him, he was simply looking ahead his face straight, there was no telling of what he was feeling at the moment. I couldn't help it feel bad for him even more, yesterday must have been rough. I looked back ahead too to break the heart aching silence I spoke on the one thing that has been stuck in my mind since yesterday.
"What was it like?"
He glanced my way briefly confused
"What was?"
I gulped lightly looking down to the ground pushing both my hands into my pants pocket. Looking back up I sighed heavily before asking
"Losing your mate? How was it like?"
"She told you" he sighed deeply in depths of pain, I heard it in his voice. I quickly knew that was a very bad idea talking about his mate at a time like that. I shouldn't have let my guilt talk me into this
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked" I apologized quickly
"No it's ok. It was a long time ago, you weren't even born yet; The time of the war," he chuckled painfully looking up to the sky "They say time heals everything but it cannot heal a broken mate,"
I tripped on a rock almost losing balance, he caught me by a hand "Be careful there" he pulled me closer to him, my side occasionally brushing to his side as we continued walking. There was a breif of silence before he continued
"You remember me of her" my head snapped up to look at him, we locked eyes. I quickly looked away putting a lock of hair behind my ears pretending to look elsewhere. "Your eyes, they look just like hers."
Another brief silence followed, my heart starting to pace with anguish.
"She's very special, beautiful too. Although I didn't get to mate with her she was–she is the reason for my existence. With or without the mate bond I know I would have fallen in love with her" he stopped a small distant smile forming on his face. I didn't know what to say to make him feel better but simply had to fall silent again
"I tried to save them both. I still will if only I could get to her progeny. A word spread that she was still alive living hidden in the human society. I looked but she was hidden well by magic," He paused
"She is the one bearing the mark.Why would you look for her?" I asked pretty much at this point my heart raced unstoppable, I so badly wanted to hear what he would have to say about me
"Being Luther's daughter doesn't make a difference, she was still Xena's daughter—My love's daughter. Losing a mate is like losing a better part of yourself, it never gets better but maybe having her might give me a sense of closure" Now that he was done talking again hardly sniveling while I was tearing from the inside.
"I'm sorry, what happened to you isn't't fair" My voice shook
"I would love her like a daughter" he added. "It wasn't her fault. I want to get to her before anyone harms her"
I choked, My heart in so much pain. He loved his mate's child fathered from an evil deity he hated–He loved me. James and Elisabeth did too, they paid for it with their lives. Lucinda helped me escaped out of love for her friend and she might be in trouble with Cassuis and it looked like Hunter wouldn't think twice throwing himself in front of war heads if he realizes I am his mate's daughter. But my destiny has showed every love given to me was reciprocated with death; I cannot lose Hunter; I didn't know when I lunged at him, wrapping my hands around him my head placed over his thudding chest.
"What's wrong, Gianna?"He equally wrapped his arms around me. I pulled away wiping my tears
"I just got emotional, I remembered my late parents. Sorry"
"You lived in the human society?"
"Since after the war, been to many places but I occasionally visit here.You used to live there too?"
"With my mom, dad and grand parents" I smiled at the thought of a complete family
"It must have been wonderful and now you have me to walk you through your first moon when it happens. It's really scary"
"It's sometimes better to get away from here. It reminds you other things really existed besides us" He added
"We fit right in unless on our four and covered in hair"
We both laughed briefly at his joke
"Hey, how about that werewolf? You didn't think I noticed" he winked at me
I suddenly felt my cheek burn
"No, he's just a friend!"
The funeral rites were to begin during sun down today. It would bring peace to the dead werewolves and helps the relatives make peace with their death and help the dead to the ancestors realm.
The rest of the day went over fast, grandma Ruby wasn't home the whole day and I wasn't to leave the house. I knew it was because of me the attack happened, he was coming for me–eventually. They would willingly hand me over than to lose anymore of their own, they lost four last night.
I stood aside, hiding behind a tree for no reason but I felt it would be safer if my presence wasn't there. I watch the ritual unfold, the four bodies were placed on a funeral pyre each, having dressed and covered with a white clothe leaving their faces showing.
The clan leader, Arctos kiba was to start the ritual. After a brief moments of memories were shared of the dead a dagger was handed to him by one of the healers, he stood at front the corpses. He slit his palm, blood instantly trickled out of his clenched fist.
He continued by smearing his blood onto the foreheads of the dead and also on the pyre, everyone performing in the ritual followed after one by one dripping a small amount of their blood like the clan leader did. I wasn't to participate in the ritual because grandma Ruby wouldn't allow it and it's only for some of the clan and relatives to perform. After smearing of the blood came the agonising howl and the final goodbyes said only by the closes acquaintance of the dead.
I positioned directly towards Phoenix's, I could see his face, his non-active eyes and shut lips. I couldn't believe I was losing someone that I care about again. I had a flash of my Dad's–Jame's funeral. It couldn't be an open casket funeral because of the condition of his corpse. I wasn't allowed to say my last goodbye, the only image I had of him was in the morning, neat in his uniform before leaving home.
My eyes welled up in tears as the pyre was about to be lightened up. I remembered each moment I spent with Phoenix, he wasn't just a friend. He was the little brother I never had and he was taken away.
Cassuis made this personal
**
Jake's POV
I watched closely in the crowd, Gia couldn't notice me. She was disturbed last night, I saw her pain when she saw Phoenix. I was standing there hiding in the shadow as she came by, her body kept shivering while she tried to touch him.
I was equally in pain, Phoenix was family. His mother housed me, she birthed him while I was staying with them. He was my brother, I lost her to them and now I was losing him too.
I knew Phoenix couldn't make it, not even the greatest healer could save him after I checked his condition. I was there with him and his aunt before she came by. I saw her fear, she couldn't lose him Just like that–Just like she never got over the lost of her father. I was there too, on the day of the incident after the news reached us.
I saw how she froze and crashed to the floor at the news. I heard her scream to the disbelief of the truth. She didn't handle it well. I was there every night after that, looking through her window, watching her sleep restlessly with her mother snuggled to her side. I knew what it felt like to lost a family but I couldn't be there's to give a shoulder although I desperately wanted to.
Even on the day of the funeral, she didn't notice I was there briefly. I left only a bouquet of flowers with a note "Sorry for your lost" and left it anonymous. I would want to comfort her, I still wanted to.
Every day after that I made sure to catch a glimpse of her, to make sure she was ok. I knew that pull I had towards her wasn't just ordinary, like she wasn't ordinary herself. I knew she was something special.
After the funeral pyre was set ablaze, the sizzling, cracking of the body to bursting of the internal organs I couldn't stand the look on her face and the tears trickling down her chin nor the blaze eating away my brother's flesh. She had her finger tips dipping into the side of the tree as she sobbed silently. I vanished too, away from the funeral grounds. Going from behind her a better part of me was opposing my judgement but I couldn't help myself. I watched her, hear her cry agonizingly; I have to be there for her. As I went closer the breeze blow over more of her scent, I hesitated going any farther, daggered my toes into my shoes in hope of stopping me but her strong scent brushing down into my nostrils. It couldn't stop me, I continued seeing her from behind leaning against the tree, I saw she stiffen for an instant and peeked over her shoulder towards me.
I realized after she turned that I alarmed her snapping a twig beneath my weight. I quickly took my feet away and turned the opposite direction
"Who's there?" I heard her ask from behind me. She sounded furious by the disturbance of her mourning.
I quickened my pace to try and get away but she caught up–She was right in front of me. She saw me, her face dropped in shock.
"Jake?" She questioned in disbelief
"Jake what are you doing here. You will be in trouble if anyone see you" she said confused gripping on one of my wrist to pull me away but I was firm in my spot. I had hide enough, there was alot that needed explanation.
"Gia" my voice came out soft, it had been forever that I said her name like that
She turned again knowing that I wasn't leaving with her, realisation bathed in her face. She spoke in a low voice, it almost broke; fear creeping up to her crisp blue eyes.
"What are you?"