Ellasandra:
Watching my father in law devour his sandwich, the sea had tossed him around for miles. Making a second one, his scarlet dragon eyes fell on me. So many questions rested on the tip of my tongue, his eyes falling on the ancient words on the handle of my ax. Clearing his throat, Tiger seemed eager for a second sandwich as well. Working on the next batch of sandwiches, she seemed at home in the kitchen.
"You must be the new Goddess of Death." Ivan pointed out simply, his black lips curling into an exhausted smile. "I see why she picked you. I am his father if you didn't pick that up." Letting a long breath, I passed them both another sandwich. Jumping onto the counter next to him, I needed a closer whiff of his aura.
"I am." I proclaimed proudly, my tail beginning to wag. "How did you get rid of that curse that has tainted you for so long? Just count me as a curious cat." Judging by his pensive expression, surprise rounded my eyes at the sly grin growing across his face. What would he say? Would he be as playful as his aura?
"Didn't you know that curiosity killed the cat?" He joked lightly, downing his second sandwich. "But I guess satisfaction brought it back. They put me through the most rigorous cleansing and the guilt nearly killed me. I kept attempting to kill myself in way to break the immortal curse but nothing worked." Frozen tears shattered against the counter,my finger catching one. Remorse haunted his features, my heart shattering for him. The curse that was placed on him had been a cruel one where he was screaming from the inside. Happy that it was gone, he could begin anew.
"I see." I uttered simply, crossing my legs. "One more thing, Tiger told me through our mental connection that the camp of orphaned children was on an island surrounded by deep water. Do you think you could freeze the entire thing so we can get to the island? The church on the island said that they would take them in." Rolling his eyes, his frustrated expression matched Fireboy's to a tee.
"I suppose but will you have other people coming with you? You are with child after all." He grumbled under his breath, Tiger raising his hand. "The big guy is coming with us. Will Phoenix be coming?" Fireboy entered the room, his brow cocking at the question. Clenching his fist, it slammed into his father's cheek. Jumping off the counter, the impact would be sure to send me flying back. Getting out all the years of rage, inky drops of blood plopped onto the floor. Clenching his fingers repeatedly, he was coming up with what to say.
"That's for being an asshole to us for all those years. I would have rather you walked out than beat us like that!" He thundered venomously, massaging his knuckles. "I had to suffer alone when you disappeared at the ripe age of fifteen. Fuck you for all of that! Now let's make that water under the bridge for my mother." Offering his bleeding hand, the bruises on his face refused to heal. Taking his hand, one firm handshake had healed the wound a tiny bit. Rubbing his face, their fury filled eyes refused to leave each other. Stepping in between them, I placed my hands on my hips. This reminded me of my own relationship with my own father, my heart knowing that they will come to a better place eventually.
"Great death glares." I commented with a bright smile, the two of them snapping their heads in my direction. "Let's all get to bed because we leave at dawn. Let's go, Fireboy!" Dragging him out, the other boys watched with quiet snickers. Entering the hall, his protests met my seductive kiss. Lowering his hands to my bump, his lips pressed against mine hungrily. Pinning me underneath him, his handsome face was inches from mine. Tracing my cheek, a wave of euphoria crashed over me the moment he bit my bottom lip.
"Sleep." He whispered huskily, sweet slumber stole me away.
Snapping awake, it was noon. Leaping out of bed, they left without me. Slipping into my boots, my fingers curled around my pocket watch. Dead, they were all dead! Letting out a frustrated scream, I snatched my ax. Pressing it once, the heels of my boot cracked the ice on the lake. Crashing through, icy water nipped at my skin. One palm on the ice melted it in seconds, the waves letting me walk on them. Stepping onto the pine needle covered beach, water dripped onto the dirt. The idiots needed me and they left because they thought that I was too precious to take. The reason I needed to come was to prevent their capture, the mixture of screams and chains rattling making that clear. Sloshing over to the fence, fear mixed with relief at the sight of me. Climbing over the fence, the carbon copy of Tiger marched up to me. Brandishing his mock blade while my ax grew into its scythe form. Sensing corrupted angel energy, I needed to get him back to his original form. Fuck him for making my brother look bad for all these freaking years! He was going to get all of my fury and burn in the aftermath.
"You must be a coward if you can't face me in your real form." I taunted cruelly, blocking his attack with ease. "I can't stand by you brandishing my big brother's name." Scuffing the dirt, hot metal spikes shattered their chains to pieces. Doing that came at a price, his boot smashed me into the air. Banging my head on a couple of branches, an inky mess began to mat the back of my head. Landing in the water, this bastard was going to get it. Climbing out of the water, the bleeding in the back of my head wasn't slowing down. Jumping over the fence, the others were in a new set of chains. A bright light blinded me, the light dying down to reveal a golden angel with wild curls. Lowering his golden curved blade, wicked laughter rumbled in his throat. Time to play now that he had showed his true self.
"The Goddess of Death dares to challenge a disciple of her majesty." He taunted jovially, charging at me. Unable to dodge his attack, his blade slid through my shoulder. Ripping it out, inky blood splattered across the ground. Ignoring the pain, I spun my blade in my palm. Watching the inky drops build on my boots, the wound sealing shut in minutes. Crossing my arms, I needed to figure out his weakness. Letting his blade cut up my arm, my eyes caught an onyx gem in his chest. Kicking him back, their chains decayed once more. The fact that she was a woman as the king impressed me but not enough to spare her once I met her.
"Go get the children. I have this." I ordered sharply, sprinting towards the golden pest of a creature. "I said go!" Leaving me to fight on my own, Tiger chose to stay by my side. Praying that the other two wouldn't kill each other before they finished saving the children. Yanking me behind a tree, Tiger held me down by his raw strength. A snarl twitched on my lips, the boys were already on my bad list for now. They needed to be alive for me to ream them out for such stupid behavior, Tiger bowing his head in shame. Shaking it off, we had a task at hand.
"We need a plan and not to attack. I worked with these idiots and their weakness is that onyx gem." He explained calmly, shooting me the look he used to give me as a kid. "Work together with people instead of trying to fix it by yourself like always. Give me a chance." Caving into his request, he ran his plan through me while the golden being kept looking for us. The gist of it was for him to distract him while I hit the gem. Popping out from behind the tree, his blade was aimed towards me. Tiger tossed me up into the air, the four elements swirled around my head. Blocking the attacks for me, the tip of my scythe struck his onyx gem. A blast of energy knocked us back, his body shielding me from the onslaught of debris. Tears welled up in my eyes, this moment feeling like my favorite childhood memories. Quivering in his arms, he straightened his back. Nothing remained of the disciple, a woman with wild onyx curls stepped out of the shadows, her ruby eyes glinting with malice. Matching my height and body a little closely, three glass black balls spun in her palm. A scarlet silk dress hugged her hourglass figure, the leg slits allowing her the freedom she needed. Bloody nubs remained where wings once were, her clawed fingers tossing one into the air. Energy built unnaturally fast, my hand dragging him towards the camp. Black lightning crackled to life, flames devouring every poor tree trapped in her path. Skidding into the camp, we only had a few minutes. She was going to destroy this island and everything on it. Her force was a power to be reckoned with, the fact that I was scared should have everybody sinking to their knees.
"Get everyone in a circle!" I shouted over the approaching storm, Fireboy and Ivan not questioning me. Throwing my brother Tiger into the circle, my scythe blocked one of her balls. Floating into the sky, my options were growing slim. Choosing to not severely injure myself, Tiger reached out for me. Grabbing onto his hand, one tug had us landing into the ocean. Waves tossed us around, Vessel pulling up with his boat. Passing the kids up, the local priest was draping warm blankets over their shoulders. Helping me up, we were all soon in the boat. Fresh bruises and cuts covered the starved children, hatred building up in my soul. Shivering in my place, that dark angel shook me to my core. I didn't know if I could beat her and I was the most powerful being in the kingdom. That angel did something to misconstrued the direction home. Counting the heads, a sigh of relief poured from lips at the right number of heads. Who the hell was that woman and who ripped off her wings? Pacing back and forth, the voices of everyone faded in and out. Running through the stories of my old man, he had mentioned ripping wings off a dark angel before. Clearing my throat, my eyes scanned for my old man. Ready to rip him a new one, that damn cat was lucky he wasn't in my sight.
"Where is that freaking cat Flames?" I demanded hotly, everyone taking a step back. "Sorry about my temper. I am a soaking wet cat who despises getting wet without knowing about it first." Ringing out my tail, the kids all stared at me with eyes full of childlike wonder. Hiding my hands behind my back, a sack of toys formed in my hands. Pulling them out from behind my back, I held it out in front of me. Time to make up for the rough landing in the ocean, a long sigh poured from my lips.
"Take a toy from the bag. Let's make a line, 'kay." I chirped cheerfully, watching them line up. "These are yours to keep. Once we get back, I will cook you all a meal. How does that all sound?" Letting out an excited yes ma'am, my heart fluttered at them pulling out their dream toys. Sailing back to the island, the children leaned against the railings with wide grins on their faces. Pointing to the bustling city, tears of joy welled up in their eyes. Lowering the anchor, a ramp was already waiting for us. Watching the priest walk them down, Phoenix scooped me up. Carrying me down on his back, we followed the father to the church. Noting his shiny bald head and rough black wool cloak, his golden eyes fell on me. Pausing in front of the simple cedar church, he let the children run in. Setting me down, Tiger was nowhere to be seen. Oh well, I wasn't his keeper. Grabbing my wrist, his gentle smile warmed my heart. Jumping into the air, someone had touched me and I wasn't happy.
"I am Father Veritos, the one in charge of the church. I am honored to take in the orphaned children. We used to do a service much like that on the mainland. I will take you to the kitchen." He introduced himself kindly, noting my wet appearance. "We have been watching those poor children from a distance but we couldn't do anything about it. Thank you for rescuing them." Scratching the back of my head, he didn't have to be so grateful.
"I merely did what anyone else would do." I returned as kindly as him, his hands falling on a white wool blouse and short black wool skirt. "Thanks for the change of clothes." Stepping into the bathroom, I peeled off my wet dress. Tugging on my blouse and skirt, they both fit just right. Kicking off my boots, he barely blinked at me going barefoot. Stepping into a rough kitchen, a brick oven was ready for dinner. The worn wooden walls spoke of good use, the mismatched cabinets made me smile warmly to myself. Opening the cabinets, there were enough ingredients to make a nice vegetable casserole and biscuits. Rolling up my sleeve, Fireboy and his father stepped in to aid in the meal. Ivan began to peel the potatoes while his son worked on the carrots, everything seeming so peaceful. Humming to myself, kneading the biscuit dough brought down some of my anxiety. Cutting out about one hundred of them, my attention was turned towards the gravy filling for the pie. Dropping a good chunk of butter into the pan, they dropped the veggies into the pan. Cooking the potatoes and carrots, my husband was busy cutting up the onions. The butter hissed the moment he dropped them in, his father ready with the properly measured amount of flour. Putting my hand in the air, he needed to wait. We only needed a couple of minutes more, then we could begin that next step.
"Just a couple of minutes more." I uttered simply, watching every vegetable get to the proper texture. "Now you can put it in. Thank you, Ivan." Dumping the cup into the pan, my husband held the milk in his palm. Seasoning the roux with pepper and other spices, both of them moaned at the wonderful aroma in the air. Pouring the milk into the pan, he took the whisk from my hand.
"I can handle this." Fireboy promised me sweetly, pointing to the biscuits. "We should probably get those into the oven." Whisking away, a soft smile dawned at my face at how he was helping me in the kitchen like always. I placed them all on a giant tray, one whiff of them telling me that they had come out just right. Sliding them into the oven, my slender fingers set the nearest timer to fifteen minutes. The gravy was made, the two men were filling up the five large pie tins. Topping them off with the extra biscuit dough, they were in the oven for a few minutes longer than the biscuits. Waiting patiently for the timer to go off, the boys were doing the dishes. Father Veritos held a bunch of plates and silverware in his hands, only stopping to speak to me.
"Will you be joining us for dinner?" He asked politely, a hint of desperation burned in his eyes. "I would be honored to have you dine with us." Shooting him a thumbs up, his sweet smile illuminated his features. Skipping out with the dishes, the timer went off. Taking out the biscuits with the paddle, a bit of drool dripped from my lips. Brushing them all with melted butter, the pies still needed a couple of more minutes. Taking them out once they were done, some time was needed for them to cool down. Fireboy swept me underneath him, his devilish grin meeting my confused expression. A throat clearing had me back on my feet, Veritos not having any such behavior. Motioning towards the pies, my attention turned back to placing the biscuits into bowls. Carrying a couple of them out, I placed them on the long table. The thirty children climbed onto the bench, all eyes fell on me. The boys brought out the pies, cries of excitement bounced off the walls. Serving everyone, there was enough for seconds. Passing the basket of biscuits around, everyone was chatting with joy. Veritos rose to his feet, a stern look shutting everyone down.
"Let us pray for our meal." He announced with conviction, all of us bowing our heads. "We thank thee for our food and drink. Lord, do bless Miss Ellasandra with a miracle for her help today." Scarlet colored my cheeks, a soft chuckle pouring from my husband's lips. Sitting down the children devoured their food in seconds, the biscuits disappearing twice as fast. Finishing up my plate, I rose to my feet. Bowing in their direction, Veritos cleared his throat.
"Let's thank Mrs. Ellasandra for the meal." He commanded with the warmest presence, their thank yous bouncing off the wall. Waving goodbye to them, my bed was calling for me. Placing me on his back, his old man walked back with us. Resting my head on his back, he rubbed the back of my hands. Fireboy was tired, his black bags hollowing out his eyes saying so.
"Have you always been so amazing?" Ivan inquired with a quiet smile, the idiot shoving his hands into his pockets. "I see why he chose you." Rolling my eyes, he had no right to say such a thing. Letting out an impatient huff, something was eating at me. Leaping off Fireboy's back, I sprinted towards the manor. Leaving them in the dust, I slammed the door into the wall. Searching for my father with a vengeance, loads needed to be discussed. Finding him by an open window, my fingers gripped him by his tail. Holding him inches from my face, fear rounded his eyes.
"Wild onyx curls and glass balls with crazy lightning sound familiar to you." I barked venomously, guilt dimming his eyes. "Ripped off wings and crazy evil eyes. Speak before I throw you into the ocean!" Rolling his eyes, he cleared his throat. Tapping my foot incessantly, his arms folded across his chest.
"Bloodvayna Shaddoxia is her name and I don't know how you came to be in her company but you must have caught." He explained bitterly, cocking his brow. "Let's talk about you becoming the Goddess of Death. I thought we were going to discuss things but no. Do you know why I would never wish that on you!" My hair stood on end, my hands raising him over my head. Low growls rumbled in my throat, my brow beginning to twitch.
"Sure, let's discuss how you abused my brother when it wasn't even his fault for most of it. I don't understand why you didn't try with him." I retorted icily, dangling him by my side. "I had no choice. The other goddess was dying because of my brother's copycat and she brought up a rather old promise. How in the hell was I to refuse her! You can't run my life!" Stunned by my last sentence, both of us sat in awkward silence. Taking a deep breath, he leapt out of my hands. Sitting a distance away, tears welled up in his eyes. Parting his lips to say something, he padded away. Sinking to my knees, this was our worst fight. Fighting the tears burning in my eyes, the urge to run coursed through me. Lost in a sea of horrid thoughts, I couldn't help but spiral deeper.
"Tough fight with father?" Tiger teased with a sad smile, his face near mine. "He will cool down. He always does. He didn't abuse me. I was a little bit of a mess. Don't worry about us. Do you want to come see what I found?" Helping me to my feet, our footfalls echoed down the hall. Stopping at a sea of black roses, he picked one for me. Dropping it in my palm, I couldn't help but to sob violently. Collapsing into his arms, his strong arms held me in one of his infamous bear hugs. Rubbing my back, this reminded me of the old days when he would take care of me.
"I am so stupid all the freaking time. I think I went too far." I groaned pathetically into his chest, a fit of laughter bursting from his lips. "'What's so funny?" Squirming out of his arms, we both placed our hands on our hips at the same time. Could he stop being like me for one second!
"You look so hilarious getting that flustered." He laughed loudly, holding his stomach while wiping away his tears. "Do you feel better, little sis?" Ruffling my hair, I did feel a bit better. Fireboy cleared his throat, his arms opening up. Leaping into his arms, he spun me around. Tossing me over his shoulders, he waved goodbye as he took us to our room. Perhaps we could have a little fun tonight.