Chris
Fahan pulled out the last probe from my neck. He and Demitrios put me down on some rock. I could barely breathe. To keep me from dying, the men gave me so many shots they thought could strengthen me. I didn't know what possessed me. To allow him to take away everything that I had worked for. Went through, for.
"Chris." Caleb's voice broke through the fog around me. My eyes were too heavy. "Don't worry. It's over. I won't leave again."
The person's smell in front of me made me want to manifest, dig my teeth in, and empty them… I couldn't. Demitrios had tried to help by slicing their neck. The taste of blood didn't put me off. Maybe I was still in there somewhere. Caleb swore loudly when my manifestation didn't want to come. I had wondered if it really was Caleb during the process. I had heard his voice a few times... I had thought I was dreaming.
"What about Palmyra? How will you make that happen?" Fahan asked in the distance. I couldn't even speak. My eyes fluttered open to the scientists all staring, waiting for my answer.
Caleb spoke up and said, "There is a teleporter on Palmyra. Kubra will be here for only two days. After that, you're on your own. And then my mother will know."
They let us stay for those two days. Gave me the best food and supplements. As soon as I could walk around, I wanted to leave and never see them again. Fahan didn't deny us. Outside, there were strings of Chadari moving out of the city into their closest hotspot. Kubra was managing it from En-gannim. They were going directly to her palace. Since there were no Werewolves left. Juliet didn't even think to destroy it. It wasn't a large one. We still didn't know how Brylee built it in the first place.
Most of Fahan's people were off-planet by the time Caleb and I left. "I think you can figure out the rest," I said as we were going. Fahan didn't say anything further, and Kubra teleported us out to Earth. I was wedged in between them. Still too tired to walk for long periods. We didn't land in Washington or go to En-gannim. It was safer to exit in France and travel to Louis's estate. As we stepped out into the thicket, Kubra picked me up like a child. I was thin… No emaciated. If Juliet saw me like that… I had not thought through the aftermath and was suddenly scared she would be covered by more snakeskin when she realized what I had done. To have Michael back and think I was somewhere working through some issues. Then, have the rug pulled out under her.
They helped me to my room. "I think you can let Louis and Marcus go now. I'm going to sleep for a while. Will you help him, Caleb?"
"We let them go two days ago. Everything is fine. Sleep dad. We're all here." Caleb sat down on the bed and took off my shoes. He covered me with a blanket. Was Marcus and Louis there? I did not see them.
They both left, closing the door. There was such a commotion outside between the four men. Marcus and Louis were angry. Caleb was yelling. It was going to be a stressful time forward. For two days, I lifted my arm several times in front of me to see if fur and black nails would materialize out of thin air, but I failed every time. Caleb tried to reassure me about everything. There was no light at the end of this tunnel I had chosen.
***
Juliet
"Juliet! Juliet!" My head lifted from my desk. Jessy was half-running through the door. "He's back. His watcher tech is active. All of them."
I had been acting my little heart since I found out about Chris. There was no point in ruining all of Chris's efforts. When I went with Caleb the night they would take him off, I almost didn't make it. I pinched the bridge of my nose to stop myself from crying and rubbed at my brow to make it all look like tiredness. My eyes dropped to the desk. Jessy stopped with his hands on the wood, leaning towards me. "Why are you not jumping up?"
"Where is he?"
"They are all in France."
I picked up my plate. No messages. The only consolation I had was knowing Marcus and Louis were tied up for a few days. Served them right. All of them had been gone for the same amount of time. Did they think I was that stupid? Kubra played along and put off their watcher tech. I didn't know who I could trust. I understood why Ahasuerus ruled with such an iron hand. Having so many people with the power to come and go as they pleased. But I wouldn't want it any other way. There was only one thing to do. I had to wait for them to message me.
"What are they doing?"
Jessy lifted off the table and walked around. "Marcus and Louis are fighting with Caleb… Chris fell asleep."
"Do they all seem healthy?"
"Their vitals are… normal."
I nodded. "Thank You, Jessy. Please give me the rest of the day. I'll be upstairs. I'm going to wait… Until they ask for me."
Jessy pushed himself up from the table, staring at me. He had only come back recently and didn't know what to make of my attitude. It would soon come to an end.
When I got upstairs, Michael and Sammy were having tea. I stood for a moment at the door, watching them. He glanced back over his shoulder. "You going to join us?" He asked. "My legs are cramping up on these little chairs."
"Chris is back." I watched him closely. The small cup stopped mid-air. Sammy was feeding one of her dolls a biscuit. Michael had not said one word. He was a good liar.
"Marcus and Louis?"
"They're all in France."
***
Chris
My heart was pounding. I had tried to get rid of my habit of nervously rubbing one hand with the other, pressing my thumb deep into the skin. I usually did it before I even realized it. I had looked at myself in the mirror that morning. It wasn't pretty. My brown skin was pale white, and I had dark circles under my eyes that didn't want to go away. The wounds on my body were not healing. It didn't help that one of them was on the side of my neck. Nothing Kubra did helped. He told me to go back to En-gannim. That they would know what to do.
First, I needed to tell Juliet. Louis and Marcus were in the room with me. They were peering aimlessly out the window. I had the glass plate in my hand. Juliet would immediately know that something was up if I didn't just appear next to her. If I contacted her via a message.
"Louis." I held out the device to him. "You will have to do it. Or else she might not make it. Better that she sees me before she can put two and two together."
He sighed heavily, taking the plate from me. I couldn't hear his heart anymore or smell the differences as I once could. "At least tell me if you're as nervous as I am." I ventured a glance at Marcus. He had not turned around. What was he doing? Could he at least try and understand what was going on? My brows creased. He had not said one word to me. My second regret was setting in. I had broken down our relationship even further. Marcus and I had been friends. Good friends. Louis tossed the plate on the bed behind me. I picked it up. She was on her way.
It felt like the longest few minutes of my life. She wasn't alone. I heard Michael's boots falling on the floor at the door. Juliet was coming up the steps. She stopped at the door. There was no smile… So many emotions played around on her features. She might have been able to hide it. But not at that moment. All her training washed away.
Michael was on the bottom step. It had a weird, distinct creek to it. Juliet winched when she heard it. Her eyes closed slowly and opened again, steeling herself. She stepped towards me and carefully lifted my face with two hands. Her thumbs nervously rubbed over my cheeks. Her eyes drifted to the wound in my neck. She let me go and sat down next to me. "I was there… Followed Caleb when I knew something was off. Thought that if my fifteen-year-old son would let his father play the hero… Then so be it. By the time I knew… You were too far gone…."
Everyone in the room turned toward Juliet, even Marcus. She bit her bottom lip to hold back the tears. It took a moment for her to keep talking.
"Caleb, take him to En-gannim when we're done talking. Kubra can help you. He needs to be in the med bay." Caleb appeared and nodded. "Can you give us a moment?"
"Caleb and I talked about it. I have made another decision that you might not like." She glanced up at Michael. "You four can take over the planets. She pulled off the emblem stone and tossed it at Marcus's feet. You guys are doing a better job than me." Juliet's hand pulled me closer, and she kissed me softly. "I am so sorry." She whispered.
"I'm leaving… Marcus… You won't feel your baby kick for the first time. I'll decide if you'll be there for the birth… Michael… You won't deliver the baby. Not that you care about that anymore." She sighed. "You must think I'm a complete idiot." Michael clenched his jaw. My eyes were imploring hers not to take it out on them. Her head came up to Louis. She was saying something to him in her mind. She got up to leave, squeezing my hand.
She stopped halfway to the door and turned, walking up to Marcus. She struck him with all her strength. She didn't stop. Slamming her fists into his chest. Over and over. He took it. Eyes closed, head tilted away. He was going to take everything. Juliet was grunting with every stroke. She fisted his shirt and pulled and pushed. "Look at me." She groaned.
Marcus shook his head. "Why did you do that? I didn't need it." His eyes opened slowly. His head lifted. Their eyes met in the middle, and he released her. I could see her whole body relaxed. He had done it. Forced her to hit him. She fell on his chest, sobbing. Marcus wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long time. He dropped down on his knees, begging. "Please don't take this away from me." He was clutching her shirt. "Please, Juliet. I'll do anything. I made a mistake."
Her hand ran through his hair a few times, thinking. "No, I trusted you. You promised me. You told me to behave…" She tugged on his hair. "I'll stay… If you all start working. Start sacrificing and sucking it up. Not one time do you get to go into work mode… Not one time does Louis get to… go cold. Chris will not leave my side or En-gannim until his power is restored. And you will make that happen." Marcus nodded dramatically and grabbed her around the waist, digging his head into her belly… " But that's only if you all four agree right here and now."
I didn't really have a choice. It was what I would have done anyway. One of the reasons why I did it. I was going to stay. Decided to help her rule if they didn't want to. I had been stupid not to be there in the first place. If I had been in the medbay that day to protect them, I would've killed Fahan. None of it would have happened. She was right. We needed to start making sacrifices, or else I should never have waited for her.
Another glow pulled her out of Marcus's grip. Michael was doing it. Frown lines on her brow as he tugged on her. She turned her eyes stormy. "Say it." He said through gritted teeth. She shook her head with slightly pursed lips. "I won't. I could have done something… I made the choice. This is not on you… I love you too much… It seems that I love you all more… Then you love me, anyway." She glanced at Louis for a second.
"Say it, Juliet! Or I'll leave. I don't want you to be like this. I would have rather you freak out and yell. Scream and tell us all what you think of us."
"So you can drug me again? I won't. You never talk to me anyway." Her head snapped up. Michael was much taller than her. "You wanted me to stop controlling you. Then I will. Marcus is now king. He has the final say. Let us see you go up against him! None of you want to work with me… So, I will be following orders… If I need to do anything at all. Like a good girl. That's what you wanted…." She pressed her finger into Michael's chest. "Now, let me go, honey!" He did, and she headed for the door. "You can leave, Michael. But it will be your choice if Marcus gets to see his child at all. You have one day to decide, seeing that you and Louis can't speak up. I'll be staying in my cabin tonight. You guys will rotate daily. Louis gets two nights. Then we start over. I'll decide when Chris comes back to a new routine."
"Juliet, you can't walk up there in this rain. Pregnant." Louis implored.
"I won't. Jessy is going with me." And as stoic as she came, Juliet left down the stairs. Alone.
***
Juliet
Once, Jessy and I were in the cabin. He sat down across from me. We stared at each other for a long time. I never really knew how I would act or react until I was in the midst of a situation. Only afterward would I be appalled at how I handled it. I didn't know if my way or Michaels's was better. I was so numb from them lying to me. The problem was it ran much deeper than a simple lie. How could I force them to sort out their inner struggles with our new way of life? Chris had hardly come back.
"I need to find you a wife. Someone you can alternate with. You never chose to serve me like this… It's all you do… So… Who do you want? And who do you trust?"
"Selena?"
I chuckled and laughed for the first time. Fell back on the bed. It had been a painstaking week of faking it, waiting to see what would happen. I barely recognized Chris. He had already done so much for me. His eyes were dull and lifeless. All that spark he had… was drained out. Eyelids heavy and drooping as if he'd aged a thousand years. I was so scared that Chris wouldn't make it. If he had died… I shook my head. He was okay. And they were all safe. "I didn't think you had feelings for her… It's going to take a lot of convincing with Ira. Maybe I can buy her for you?"
Jessy laughed lightly. "Should we go and find out what she thinks?" Jessy asked.
I sat up, open to the idea of being busy while the four of them sorted out the mess they had made. "Yes! I would love to hear what she thinks about going through the treatment."
"And then we can get rid of your skin. So you can see all your tats." Jessy's hands were clutched on his knees.
"I need to find a school for Caleb."
"You need to keep fit, so training every day."
"What about Charlene? Will I leave that to the four idiots?"
"I think if you call her to your side. Maybe she would come?"
I frowned. The thought had not even crossed my mind. Michael was pulled out… Maybe if I meditated long enough. "You don't want to go work for the boys?" I asked.
"Nah! Boring."
I smiled, but it fell as soon as it came. "I want to talk to Soren."
"You can't, Julie."
"Can't I just go and see him?"
Jessy shook his head.
"I know." I fell back again. "I know… I just needed to say it. Desperate to use the boy again. Someone on the outside… I can run to."
"Get back at Marcus?" Jessy suggested. The guy was really on point. He knew me. "That's okay. I'll be your sounding board. Your conscience. A living journal… But after what Chris did… You can't do it to him."
F- he was right. No more men… I sat up and held out my fist to him. "Thank You."
"You handled that not at all like I thought you would." He said softly. I blew out a long breath. "Anything else you want to say but couldn't?" Jessy prompted.
"I wanted to say that I wished it was Michael and not Chris. And he knew it. I wanted to berate Marcus for how useless he was. And that Qadir should never have put his faith in him. How disappointed I was in him. Argh! How shallow can I be." I rubbed my hands over my face and eyes. "I wish I could go back in time. To that first day, I met Marcus."
"Do you feel what happened to Chris is your fault?"
"No… Is that wrong? Should I have done something when I knew? Killed Fahan and destroyed another race?"
"No… It might not seem like it now. But… He's a big boy. They all are… But you wanted to rule so badly. There were so many adventures you had planned. I was looking forward. What will we do?"
"Better me not knowing than four men." I stood up. "Enough dramatics for one day. Let's go to Zoreah."
Jessy jumped up, and we traveled. It was weird being in a thunderstorm and then walking out in the scorching heat. We checked in on Beatrice. She was happy to see us and wanted to know what was wrong, but I first had to tell Ira. I felt like walking, so we made our way through the city, having two drinks on the way and speaking to some locals who recognized us.
Ira and Silvanus were on the porch like always. The orange man waved at us. "What can we do for you, Queen Ahmed?" He said as we came closer. Jessy and I quickly glanced at each other.
"Mind if we sit?" It was quiet for a while. I bit my lip nervously. "Ira… Something happened."
"You know Juliet. Every time I see you… I know my world will be pulled out from under me."
"Chris did something stupid."
Ira slowly got up. "Get to the point."
"He exchanged himself for Michael."
The man reacted like I thought he would. He came at me. Silvanus stood up between us, manifested, and held him in place. Ira said some awful things and teleported away, leaving me feeling that I had, in some way, failed again.
Silvanus sat down. "It's his own fault." My head jumped up. "You are surprised… Chris came to see Ira. Asked him to help. He said no."
"What?"
"Louis and Marcus even went to Earth. They said no, too." Silvanus's mouth quirked up. "Chris was never like his father. Not in any way. I'm proud of the boy. At least he has something to live for. Fight for. Ira is too old… For as much as he preaches peace. He holds a grudge too easily... When Chris was with us. All he talked about was connection and intimacy. I think he is a very loyal person."
I had thought the trip would help me. I felt even worse. Chris had done it for me. Because Marcus couldn't put Michael first. I changed the subject. "There is something else?" Silvanus turned to Jessy and me. "I want Selena. How can we make that happen?"
Silvanus lifted his head into the air, laughing. He got up and prompted us to follow him. At last, I saw where she lived. "Selena? You here." Silvanus's voice boomed in the quiet of the desert. The long blond was happy to see me. Her eyes drifted to Jessy a few times. "Can we come in?"
"Let's sit outside. My house has no space."
"How is it being back?" I asked.
"Boring." She was a little quirky and pulled her face while she said it. I really did like her.
I looked at Silvanus for help. "Selena… If Sung gives you leave, will you want to go with Juliet?"
"In a heartbeat. I've wanted to go back, but Ira."
"Don't mind, Ira. I'll handle him." Silvanus said with a raised hand. Like we shouldn't be worried about him at all.
I was skeptical. "I thought you followed orders?" I retorted.
He gave a little laugh. "He won't mind me going around him about this… You will have to take Jamal. The poor boy will die out here."
I glanced at Jessy. Silvanus saw and smiled. "It's a two-package deal." He eyed Jessy.
Jessy nodded. We wouldn't tell Selena that Jessy wanted to see if she would be his wife. She was a little clueless. They all were when it came to dating. "Okay! So it's settled. Come to France when you're ready."
Jessy and I got up to leave. "Can I go with them now?" Selena sounded almost desperate.
"Before you do. Would you be interested in going through the treatment I had my girls go through? So we're all on the same page… You will be joining En-gannim. Cross-species unit and all. If you know what I mean. You can't come back."
Selena got up and lifted her hand in the air. "A high five to seal the deal?" She asked. Without Charlene, my life seemed a bit lonely. It would be nice to have another female in the mix.