Chapter Thirty-Three: Enter the Demon King

Celeste:

Slamming my foot into his chest, the ribs shattered upon impact. Grabbing my ankle, he dangled me over the ground. My hair dangled over my face, his slender hands lifting me to his face. A devilish grin danced upon his black lips, my arms folding across my chest. My friends hovered behind me, all of the blood rushing to my head. This light headed feeling began to haunt me, his face inches from mine. Ignoring the growing migraine, golden energy swirled around my arms. Nobody swung me around like a rag doll, my fangs biting my lips.

"You summoned me." He growled in an irked tone, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I have nothing to do with your attacks, you fucking idiot. I happen to like you, but you won't see that unless I prove it to you. The one who attacked you was my brother's army, not my men. He is working with no one but himself. He wants to control the immortal three. But hey, I get it. I am going to go now." A flurry of raven feathers fluttered around me, a black hair version of the demon holding me hovered a few feet off of the ground. His silk scarlet suit hugged his matching seven foot tall slender frame, his ruby eyes glistening with pure rage. Golden handcuffs formed in my hands, a wicked grin dawning on my face. Clicking it on each of their wrists, the first brother dropped me. Novi caught me just in time, the two of them yanking at each other. Evil laughter rumbled in my throat, this was going to be fun. My plan was going along smoothly, my palms rubbing together.

"What the hell!" The black haired one barked bitterly, both of their powers draining. "Why are my powers gone?" Leaping out of his arms, I placed my hands on my hips. Circling them, maniacal laughter burst from my lips. This amount of power felt incredible, a new ally soon to be made.

"I am going to make you join my side of the battle." I bragged gleefully, my golden energy changing into a blade. "You killed my friend, he was only free for a few weeks. Fuck you for that. You are going to enter a contract with me where you get nothing but the chance to live! Do you understand? You have made my life hell for weeks. I need names so I can make some contracts." Both of them gritted their teeth, Novi and everyone else watching with cautious looks. Holy hell! I really must have looked scary at the moment.

"I am Barthos." The white haired one introduced himself bitterly, pointing to his brother. "He is Onyxio. We are twins, and we will form a contract with you. My brother really has gone a bit too far. Won't we!" Gritting his teeth, Onyxio shaking his head violently. Digging his black claws into his palms, black blood dripping onto the ground. A snarl curled on my lips, my blade pressing against his throat. His attitude really ticked me off, my eyebrow twitching irritably.

"I refuse." He spat hotly, a glob of spit landing square in the center of my forehead. "You can just kill me." Shrugging my shoulders, the blade doubled in size. My blade swung towards his neck, Barthos catching it in between his two hands. Shooting daggers at his brother, his boot slammed into his chest. Dragging himself down, his heel dug into his chest. The corner of my lips twitched, the two of them arguing bitterly. Did I really need their help, I couldn't help but wonder to myself.

"You are so stupid. The hunters are on our asses too. She can help protect us. Was she not the one who wiped half of your army out with a single howl! Do you really want to fuck with her!" He chastised him bitterly, my blade fading away. "You killed her friend, and that is not okay. She wouldn't kill one of yours unless she had to. You will apologize to her! You seem to have lost your way, my dear brother. You seem to forget that I am king and not you. You are a lowly lord, so it is my order for you to form a contract with her as your punishment." Thunderous growls rumbled in his throat, a defeated sigh escaping his lips.

"Fine." He cursed venomously, Barthos smiling like an idiot. "Let's just get this over with." Snapping my fingers, the handcuffs faded away. The three of us hovered over a piece of paper, the quill quivering as I wrote my terms down. Scribbling down theirs, nothing would be owed from me but two new friendships. Cutting my palm, the blood poured down my wrists. Dipping the quill in my blood, the tip scraped the parchment paper. A wave of relief washed over me, both of them signing their names bigger than mine. Cocking my brow, all of their powers returned. Getting down on their knees, black collars appeared on their necks. Their bangs hid their eyes, a black and white bracelet popping onto my wrist. Offering them both of my hands, they both accepted them cautiously. Onyxio ripped his hand away, Barthos slamming his fists into his shoulder. Bowing his head, his teeth gritted so tightly. The grinding of his teeth irritated me, the words barely squeaking out.

"I am sorry for killing your friend. It was wrong of me to do that, and I know that I can't bring him back." He apologized sincerely, tears welling up in his eyes. "I am so sorry. The hunters jammed a needle into my neck, and I went berserk. Will you ever forgive me?" Clutching him close to my chest, his bloody tears stained my outfit. Melting into my arms, Barthos shot me a thumbs up, my hand rubbing Onyxio's back. Lifting his chin up with my finger, his wet eyes refused to look at mine.

"I don't care. You said you were sorry. That is good enough for me." I promised warmly, his arms wrapping around my waist. "I wanted to kill you at first, but would that make me better than you at that moment? I refuse to sink into my darker desires. I can bring you to the light if you permit me. There is a special kind of warmth in good friendships. Call me daily if you need to talk. I need to head back now. Have a nice day." Turning to leave, his hand grabbed my wrists.

"You killed all of my army, so I don't have anywhere to go." He sobbed softly, teardrops crashing to the loose dirt. "Can I come with you? I will guard you with my life. I kind of have to now." Hooking his arm around my elbow, we walked over to the car. Tammy sat uncomfortably next to him, her eyes watching him closely. A protectiveness changed the color of her aura, Barthos waving to us as we left. Taking him in would be the right thing to do since I did kill his entire army, my guilt gnawing at me.

"You are welcome in my home. It is the least I can do for you." I chirped cheerfully, tossing him a blanket. "You do know that you can't claim souls anymore. I want to get you on the right track. There can be light in the darkness. I promise to show it to you." Awkward silence hung heavily in the air, Novi wrapping his hand around mine. Leaning over to me, his hands cupped my face. Kissing my lips sensually, everyone else rolled their eyes. A tender blush rose to my cheeks, his lips refusing to let me go. His tongue danced around my mouth, his heart beating as fast as mine. Sinking back into my seat, pride swelled in his eyes the moment my face burned brighter. Tammy hid her smile under her hand, the engine roaring to life. Driving back home, my thighs rubbed together. My inner wolf wanted Novi, his hand running up my thigh. Mouthing stop, he placed his finger on his lips. Taking off my underwear discreetly, his fingers swirled around my swollen clit. Biting my lips, this felt so good. Tammy cleared her throat, his hand snapping away. Huffing in protest, a growl thundered in his throat. Only twenty minutes remained before we were home, the car skidding to a stop. A woman with wild red curls and dark gray eyes blocked the road, her black robes dancing around her feet. Stepping out of the car, a blast of mixed emotions plagued me. This was his cousin, the one who took care of him before me. A silver blade spun in her palm, the onyx handle glinting in the car headlights. Charging at me, the heel of her boot knocked the knife out of her hand, my two hands wrapping around different parts of her arm. Slamming my heel into the crook of her elbow, the snap shattered the still air. An ivory shard stuck out of her left arm, an unimpressed expression dimming my face. Pinning her to the ground, a white light blinded me as her wound healed in a second.

"You had my brother killed!" She screamed shrilly, picking up the blade. "I will kill you for that! " Charging at me, her speed stunned me. Crossing my arms, my magic level dwindled near empty. Injecting a black needle into her neck, an inky blackness dominated her eyes. Panic gripped my mind, my ultimate goal not to kill her. My bones cracked with each punch and kick into my arms, the dirt crunching with each slide back. Almost feeling the bruises form, her speed doubled. Her strength tripled, black veins lining her porcelain skin. Sprinting into the trees, her boots pounded after me.

"Just kill me like you did my cousin!" She taunted cruelly, smashing into my body. Skidding across the forest floor, my hands searched for a weapon. Clammy sweat drenched my skin, my heart pounding out of my chest. The blade transformed into a giant mallet, the metal hammer shattering my leg. A tortured wail burst from my lips, my arms dragging me forward. Damn it! I cursed to myself, rolling my body to dodge her next attacks. Red eyes flashed in the corner of my eyes, Onyxio smashing her into a tree. Holding her down, a milky liquid swirled in a needle. Jamming it into her neck, her body grew limp. Novi rushed to my side, his quivering eyes falling on my leg. My vision blurred, his deep voice fading in and out. Sweet slumber claimed me, his kiss on the top of my head the last thing I heard.

Jerking awake, the blue moonlight bathed a bright white room. Attempting to leap off of the bed, Novi caught me in his arms. Holding me back, a purple cast went up over my knee. The beeping entered my hearing, Novi's hair all messy from his hands running through it endlessly. Black bag hollowed out his eyes, a silver haired woman rushing in with a clipboard in her hands. Her smell told me that she was a werewolf, the whole place reeking of them. Her blue eyes twinkled with relief, her five foot seven frame matching mine. Twisting her long hair into a bun, Novi smiling tiredly in her direction.

"I am Dr. Sally Lunar, and you are at Full Moon Center." She explained calmly, standing at the end of the bed. "This is a werewolf-only hospital where we work to help our fellow howlers. I am wondering about your birth plan. Will you be coming here? Your children are doing incredibly well. Would you like to see them?" A strained huh escaped my lips, a couple of nurses pushed in an ultrasound machine. The snap of her gloves caused a nervous grin to twitch on my lips. her pleasant smile never left her face as she laid me down. Turning on the machine, the humming caused a migraine to throb. Lifting up my hospital gown, she squirted a cold gel on my bump. Gliding the wand with ease, she stopped in a spot. Tears welled up in my eyes, two heart beats echoing around the room. Novi kissed my lips feverishly, his hands cupping mine. My heart fluttered, his reaction melting my heart. Taking a couple of pictures, Dr. Lunar took the wand off. Cleaning me up, she pulled my gown down.

"See I told you they were healthy." She said simply, tapping her clipboard. "We are going to have you stay for another night for observation. Please relax. I believe you have guests waiting to see you. You certainly are really popular. Shall I let them in?" Nodding anxiously, Novi's dad, and all of my friends crashed in. Smothering me in a warm embrace, Novi hung back. Excitement buzzed, the presence of Merdia sulking into the room killing the mood. All of my friends stiffened up, Onyxio stepped in front of me. He was still in yesterday's outfit, Novi's father growling behind him. His navy t-shirt clung to his broad chest, his big hand twisting it into a man bun. Tammy and her family stood on the other side of me, Amy and Tammy wore matching pink sweater dresses. A tired smile curled on my lips, their happiness pleasing me. Jarod shifted uncomfortably behind them in a black Italian suit, his fangs growing over his lips. Raven and Sarah hid in the corner in black robes ready to defend me, my heart warming at the sight of them all ready to defend me.

"I am sorry that I hurt you!" She apologized through a wall of tears, bowing her head in shame. "I miss my cousin, and I wish I could hold him once more. I lost my way, but then you woke me up when you passed out. He called me two weeks ago and was so excited. He had found a family, and wanted me to join. I have never heard him cry that much. He kept sending me pictures and I have never seen him smile that much. Please take me under your wing! I want to bathe in your light too. He made it seem so nice when everyone else was cruel to us. You could have killed him but you didn't." Tears streamed down my cheeks, everyone settling down. Onyxio stepped forward, his eyes refusing to meet hers. Shaking my head, he didn't need to do this.

"I killed him." He admitted brokenly, shame dimming his eyes. "I was under a spell, but that's not a good excuse. Will you accept my apology?" An awkward silence hung between them, my heart beating louder with each passing second. Gripping the teal blanket covering me, her lips parted to speak. Pausing for a moment, scarlet burned his cheeks the moment she clutched him close to her chest. Smiling warmly to myself, her five foot two frame looked tiny as his seven foot frame bent awkwardly towards her. My eyebrow twitched as wails exploded from both of their lips, sinking to the floor. Melting into his arms, her head rested against her chest. Her fists banged on his chest, small gasps of pain tumbling from his lips. Just accepting his punishment, Merdia passed out in his arms. Scooping her up in her arms, her body looked so vulnerable in his arms. Watching them leave, Novi's old man passed me a bowl of soup. Helping me sit up, a plastic spoon spun in his palm. Pulling up their chairs to the sides of my bed, Novi laid down next to me so everyone else had more room. His scent relaxed me, everyone telling me about their days. Eating my soup, Novi wrapped his arms around my shoulders. A jolt of black energy snapped me out of the blissful environment, a hunter standing outside of the hospital. Not able to cross the barrier protecting the hospital, he paced back and forth. Setting my soup to the side, I pulled on the fresh green sweater dress over my head. Ripping it off, the machines went nuts as I slid on my one boot. Everyone protested as I exited the hospital room, shoving a pair of crutches under my arms. Hobbling out of the hospital, my defiant face stood inches from the simple black mask of the hunter in the black steel armor.

"Can't you leave me the hell alone?" I demanded hotly, my brow rising in suspicion. "I haven't done a damn thing." Pressing a golden card against the barrier, the gloved hand flicked it through. Sprinting off into the woods, Novi picked up the card. Opening up the envelope, a snarl curled on her lips. Crumbling the paper in his hands, he refused to let me see it. Marching forward without listening to my pleas, this was going nowhere.

"Let me see it." I begged impatiently, his strong hands throwing it in the trash. Ignoring me, he marched straight back into my hospital room. Hobbling in after him, his hand was holding his father up by his collar. Hovering in the corner, a fight was about to begin.

"What the hell do you have to do with the hunters!" He demanded hotly, the betrayal causing tears to well up in his eyes. "I need to know right this fucking minute. You are so lucky you aren't in my pack. I would have killed you right now." Attempting to split them up, he knocked me to the floor. The crutches slid across the floor, chaos erupting as they both started punching each other. Yelling at them to stop, several nurses rushed in to separate them. Tears flooded from my eyes, a panic attack seconds from starting. What the hell was going on? Tranquilizing them both, their bodies slumped to the ground. Tammy helped me back onto my bed, her arms wrapping around me shakily. Slamming my fists onto the bed, my attention turned to all of my friends that remained.

"Go home." I growled through gritted teeth, Tammy snapping to her feet. "I am having a family meeting." Hugging me as they all left, my legs crossed while the clock ticked away above my head. Both of them were in so much trouble.