Hope

Acheron

Four long hours. That's how long it took before Luna finally emerged from surgery, her face pale with exhaustion, dark circles smudging beneath her eyes. "I've done all I can," she said, stripping off her gloves and tossing them into the waste bin. "Only time will tell now. It could be days, maybe even weeks before she wakes up—if she wakes up at all." I leaned forward, my fingers steepled. "So the surgery was successful?" Luna exhaled, rubbing her temples. "That's hard to say. I needed fresh, healthy blood to make this work. But her mother? She's sick and dying—not exactly the best donor. It was a risk, but it was all we had." I didn't respond right away. Instead, I turned and strode into the room where Audra lay. She looked... lifeless. Audra's body was still, too still. Her chest didn't rise, didn't fall—there was no heartbeat. The only sign that she hadn't already slipped away was the machine forcing blood through her veins, connecting her to the woman beside her—her mother. The rhythmic beeping of her mother's monitors was the only sound in the room. Two bodies. One breathing. One not. And yet, Audra's survival hinged on the fragile life of the woman beside her. A slow death feeding into a lifeless vessel, hoping to spark something—anything. My fingers twitched. I should've left the room. I should've gone back to work. But I stood there, arms crossed, staring down at her. I clenched and unclenched my hands, watching her. My greed for power had led me to this moment, and yet… Something about her was different. She wasn't just a tool anymore. The realization struck harder than I wanted to admit, settling deep into the pit of my stomach like a stone. I had done this, her suffering was my own doing. As I watched her lifeless body, a strange sensation emerged, like I had lost something. I swallowed hard and tried to force myself to step away, though my feet refused to move. My brows crinkled, what was this feeling. I wasn't supposed to feel sorry for her. I had to remind myself, she was just the vessel carrying a power I so desperately yearned for. Power that would make it so that I was no longer week, so that I would never feel the loss of love again. So, what was this feeling? I let out a heavy sigh my emotions weighing on me like a brick. There was nothing I could do except wait. So I finally stepped away, retreating back upstairs and into my office. The day blurred by, slipping through my fingers like sand. By nightfall, my patience was fraying. I pulled out my phone and called Luna. She answered on the first ring. "Acheron, I already know why you're calling, and no, her condition hasn't changed. Go to bed and quit worrying. I will handle it." I clenched my jaw, irritation prickling beneath my skin, but I hung up and did as she said. The bathroom had been cleaned, the shattered glass removed, but the scent of blood still lingered in the air, her blood. The tarp over the window flapped softly in the wind, a stark reminder of what had happened. I took a long shower, hoping it would clear my mind. It didn't. That night, I slept restlessly.

Cassidy's POV

That morning, everything changed. Malik wasn't the same after he felt Audra's death. It broke him, twisted something inside of him until all that remained was vengeance. He changed our plan. Now, we were going straight to Acheron's territory. He'd known where Audra was for a month—had pinpointed her location but had been forced to do nothing because of the Council's restrictions. Now, nothing was holding him back. He was starting to unravel. We drove for a few days, reaching the facility late in the night. It was massive—six stories of cold steel and concrete, a fortress that loomed in the distance like a monument to suffering. Malik got out first. He moved with a deadly sense of purpose, his golden eyes scanning the area like a predator closing in on its prey. Then he stopped. A covered window. The tarp fluttered weakly, and beneath it, the grass was stained dark red. Blood. Audra's blood. Malik inhaled sharply, his entire body tensing. His fingers curled into fists, claws extending as a low, guttural growl rumbled in his chest. "She fell," he muttered, his voice tight with barely restrained fury. "I don't know if it was an accident or on purpose, but I smell her. This is her blood." The raw pain in his voice made my stomach turn. I stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm. "Calm down, Malik. I know a way in. Follow me." He didn't hesitate. I led him through the underground tunnels, ones I had used long ago when I worked here. Years had passed, but the memories of Luna's wickedness remained fresh in my mind. She was brilliant, but she was also cruel. She had no regard for suffering if it meant achieving the results she wanted. That's why I left. That's why I had to stop this. The moment we stepped into the lab, Malik froze. He didn't need me to lead him anymore. He followed the scent of his mate. Straight to a large room. His breath hitched. Two tables. Two bodies. And a terrible realization. "What is this?" Malik rasped, his eyes never leaving Audra. I swallowed hard. "Their last resort." He turned to me, confusion flickering behind his rage. I exhaled slowly. "They're using an ancient technique—linking her body to a living blood relative, forcing a connection through magic-infused circulation. It's meant to keep the dead body temporarily alive in the hopes that the heart starts again." I explain, A slow clap echoing from behind us. "Still as sharp as ever, Cassidy," Luna's voice sang from the doorway. Shit. We were busted. She stepped into the room, eyes glinting with amusement as she took in Malik's form. "I see you brought the Prince. But I hope you weren't expecting to take her home today." She grinned. "Although, if she never wakes up, I suppose you could." She said wickedly, though her eyes said something else. Malik's growl was pure thunder. Luna sighed dramatically, her fingers crackling with lightning. The energy in the room felt charged. "Easy there, Prince. Wouldn't want to lose control now, would we?" She spit, stepping closer. Malik's backed down his eyes darted back to Audra, his expression carved from grief and fury. I took a risk. "You know," I said, crossing my arms, "there's one more thing you could try." Luna's head snapped toward me. Curious. Wary. "And what exactly do you know that I don't?" she hissed, doubtful her former protege knew something she didn't . I smirked. "You have her mate here." I gestured to Malik. "His blood is more powerful than her mother's. It's the best chance she's got." A slow, calculating smile spread across Luna's face. The gears in her mind were turning. Luna hummed. "So lets say this works, even if she's revived, Acheron won't just hand her over. And besides, she'd have no control over her power. Something like this could happen again." Malik's expression led to his inner turmoil. "Keep her here," Malik said, after awhile, his voice strained. "Until she's stable. But I want visitation." Luna laughed. "You know I can't do that. How about I text you pictures with updates daily?" Malik clenched his fists, reasoning with himself. "I want her to have control over it." He said after a pause. "Then let's get you hooked up." Luna stated. She wasted no time attaching an IV to his arm. Malik flinched as the connection formed, his blood mixing into the flow keeping Audra's body alive. Hours passed. The room was silent, tense. Then—Luna's eyes widened. Something flickered across the monitor. She grabbed a stethoscope, pressing it to Audra's chest. A slow, faint beat, sending a sharp beep through the monitor. She turned to Malik, ushering him forward. He shuffled over, his arm still hooked to the IV, He listened. His eyes lit up. "She's okay?" he whispered. Tears welling in his eyes, he looked at her lovingly. Luna nodded. "Her heartbeat is weak, but it's there. She's coming back." Malik exhaled a shaky, broken breath. Hours of his blood flowing into Audra had drained him, but he hardly seemed to notice. His focus was entirely on the faint, unsteady beep of the heart monitor beside her bed. "She needs rest," Luna said firmly. "And so do you." She said looking at him a slight hint of concern in her voice. But he didn't move. His golden eyes were fixed on Audra, filled with a storm of emotions—relief, pain, guilt, love. "I should take her home," he murmured. "She doesn't belong here." Luna's expression darkened. "We already talked about this, you know that's not an option, Malik. Acheron would never allow it." His jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. He looked ready to fight, ready to tear through whoever stood between him and Audra. But even he knew that wasn't a battle he could win. "At least let me stay, for a little while" he tried again, his voice almost desperate now. Luna sighed, shaking her head. "If Acheron finds out you were here, he won't hesitate to kill you. Both of you. The best thing you can do for her right now is leave." His face twisted with anguish. "How long?" "Two years," Luna said. "Give her that much time to gain control over her power. If you come storming in now, you'll doom her." The weight of her words settled over him like a suffocating fog. He turned back to Audra, his hands hovering just inches above hers. Then, finally, he forced himself to take a step back. "You better take care of her," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. Luna met his gaze. "I will." I touched his arm, urging him toward the door. With one last lingering look, Malik turned and left, leaving behind the girl who held his soul. As the door clicked shut behind him, Luna exhaled, her shoulders slumping. I watched her closely. Something about her seemed… off. She wasn't the same ruthless woman I had once known. There was something softer beneath the surface, something broken. "You've changed," I murmured. Luna flinched, looking away. "People change, Cassidy." "Not you," I said, stepping closer. "Not the Luna I knew. What happened?" She was silent for a long time. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "They took her." My stomach dropped. "Who?" Tears welled in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks before she could stop them. "Aria." The name hit me like a punch to the gut. Ten years ago, when I left this place, Luna had been pregnant with her first child. A little girl she had planned to name Aria. I remember her glowing face as she held her pregnant belly, her husband Rodger coming to the lab frequently to check on her. "They took her," Luna repeated, her voice breaking. "Used her power up until there was nothing left. And when she couldn't give anymore, she… she—" She couldn't finish and I didn't need her to. A sharp ache formed in my chest, a mixture of grief and rage. "They killed her?" I whispered. Luna nodded, her entire body trembling." Audra, she reminds me of her so much," she admitted shakily. "That's why this is so hard. I can't—" She sucked in a breath. "I hate doing this to her. But I can't defy Acheron. If I do, he'll kill Rodger, and then he'll kill me." I took a slow step forward, gripping her shoulder. "Then help us." Luna squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head. "I am helping. This is all I can do right now." "You can do more," I pressed. "Come back with us. Help us save her." She let out a bitter laugh, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "And die the moment I step outside these walls?" I didn't have an answer for that. She straightened, composing herself. "You and Malik have to come back in two years," she said firmly. "You have to come back for her. Don't let Acheron kill her." I met her gaze and nodded. "We will be back," I promised. "Audra will come home." Luna exhaled shakily, a silent plea in her eyes. I squeezed her hand once before turning and disappearing into the dark, where Malik and I would wait. And when the time was right, we would return.