Chapter 129: Chapter Thirty-Five

Timber

“Bannik, you know not what you do,” I said through clenched teeth as blue fire danced around Hope’s wound. “You will destroy yourself in the process, you understand this, right?”

A part of me recognized Cassius’s last-minute appearance and then sudden disappearance, but I had no idea if we were all dream walking through one of his sick games, or if this was reality.

If Alex had turned.

If he was the siren we had all always feared he would become.

Bannik ignored me, as he always did, and approached Alex. “I have a job for you.”

Alex fell to his knees. “I’m yours.”

“Hell.”

“I know.” A cruel smile spread across Bannik’s features. “Let this be a lesson to the rest of the immortals. If you do not fill the empty spaces with something, eventually, you will default toward darkness—it is the way of the world. And now… I don’t just have Alexander—I have a way to take the essence of the rest of those who watch.”

It was hard to look anywhere near Alex’s direction. Light burst from him; the man looked like he was on fire, just ready to explode into a supernova if he got too pissed.

Never in my life had I seen such awesome beauty—never in my life had I been so certain that beauty masqueraded as the very evil I felt pulsating off Alex.

Bannik had gotten to him.

Had forced him to forget.

And now, Bannik had control of him.

Like a weapon.

I didn’t know how to kill the siren. The demon bite was all but gone. Alex’s white eyes gazed over me, bright orange flames licked and hissed through his red hair.

He looked like the Greeks’ version of Hades come to life—only prettier.

Because a siren was never handsome, he was always pretty, his face masculine and yet feminine all at once—which was probably why both men and women were constantly attracted to him.

He chose which face he showed, depending on what or whom he was seducing—it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him suddenly turn into whatever he wanted—in order to seduce his counterpart.

Alex’s smile was sad as he very slowly transformed into a mirror image of my face, of my body, down to the small scar near my chin that had been put there by Sariel himself.

“Impossible.” I let out a shaky breath.

“Full potential.” Bannik smirked. “Let’s go, my son.”

Alex turned on his heel and followed Bannik out of my house and toward what I knew would be our death.

And the demons— they would let him because they followed me, because they were attracted to power— because they would sense it in Alex.

“We’re doomed,” I said. “And it’s my fault.”

“No.” Hope sounded… hopeful. How was the woman still standing after watching the man she loved not only go supernova but switch sides? “I refuse to believe it.”

“Your refusal doesn’t change the fact that the siren you supposedly love just marched out of here looking like my doppelganger. He’s going to help Bannik drain ten watchers— you do realize how powerful they are? Each of them holds a specific power over whatever region they guarded or watched. Imagine Bannik having full control of the elements. It would be like unleashing the apocalypse!”

Mason transformed back into his human form and shook his shaggy hair, “I hate that you’re right, demon.”

“Thanks.”

“All is not lost.” A familiar voice said, and I felt his presence like I felt my heart beating within my chest. I hated the power Cassius wielded, but not as much as the yearning inside I felt, every damn time he was in the same room. He couldn’t turn off his angelic presence any more than I could turn off my demonic presence. Where there was light, darkness must still exist, though, since Hope’s awakening in this time, in our world, I’d felt less and less like a demon, and more like… something else. What? I had no clue.

“That happens once one realizes they have a soul,” Cassius said, pressing a large palm against my shoulder. I shuddered at the touch. There was too much good in his touch—too much everything. And I hated feeling. I hated emotion. I hated knowing that if something happened to Hope, I wouldn’t stare at her lifeless body with hollow indifference. No, I’d mourn her as if she were a sister.

“Because in a way, she is.”

“Could you guys possibly share with the rest of us?” Hope interrupted my dialogue with Cassius.

“Your blood, elf blood.” Cassius pressed a palm to Hope’s wound. I watched in rapt fascination as the skin knit back together and closed completely without leaving a scar. “It links your race, and it runs through Timber’s veins. He was saying you feel like a sister… and I told him in a way you are.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I’ve never had a brother.” She turned to Mason cautiously. “Though I distinctly remember having a best friend.”

Mason frowned, “Huh?”

Cassius’s eyes flared white.

Mason fell to his knees and roared.

“Sorry, old friend,” Cassius sighed. “Sariel never meant to keep your memories from you— but they weren’t safe, not even in your gruff pinecone-filled head.”

“You sound like Alex,” Mason trembled on the ground. “Hope,” he looked up with tear-filled eyes. “You used to pet me.”

With a gulp, Hope ran toward him and leapt into his arms. “You told me you would always watch over me!”

“I failed,” Mason hugged her tightly. “In so many ways.”

“Nobody has failed,” Cassius interrupted with that deep, commanding voice of his. “Alex has fully realized his potential as a siren. He knows his own power, not just the ability to attract anyone and anything, but become anyone and anything… only the most powerful sirens possess it— I knew there was something beneath the surface, but that future— it was hidden from me.” Ethan and Stephanie burst into the house. “We will go to them, to Bannik.”

“Great,” Ethan’s green eyes lit up. “Because we haven’t been fighting for the past what? Few weeks? Year?”

“There will always be a fight,” Cassius shrugged. “And more often than not— it will either be against your own darkness— or for the one you love.”

“How do we get through to him?” I changed the subject, uncomfortable with their discussion because I was a demon, I was darkness. Wasn’t I?

“The same way the elves got through to you, I imagine.” Cassius looked between Hope and me. “Is she ready?”

“Ready?” Hope repeated. “Ready for what? I’m not a fighter.”

“To link the willing,” Cassius whispered.

“Link the what?”

“You are their true leader, not Bannik. The demons will listen to you because many years ago, an elf sacrificed herself and made a promise to a race full of darkness and regret—protect Hope—and in return, she would once again connect what had been long ago severed.”

Hope shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about and even if I could link I don’t know how to—”

“The heart and soul—in demons it is no longer linked, a punishment given to them for turning against the light—a punishment needed to keep the balance in order. They will follow Bannik now—but if they see you, if they see Timber, who he truly is—then they will fight to the death to have that completion, and they will be loyal to you forever.”

“And the ones who aren’t willing?” I just had to ask. “What about them?”

“Death.” Ethan’s eyes glowed. “You know there is no other choice, Timber. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” I croaked. “You know what happens when a demon dies without its soul.”

“We are still offering them a choice, whether or not they take it, is completely up to them,” Ethan reminded me. Hell, sometimes I hated vampires.

“Fine.” I sighed. “I’ll lead you to Bannik, Hope does her thing, and maybe if we’re lucky Alex won’t kill everyone!” I said it all with fake enthusiasm.

Cassius whispered in my head. “Have a little faith.”