5132
"Dear Samara,
Life isn't something we can plan out, it just happens. I learned it the hard way. People say a broken heart is the hardest to heal. But people like me don't have hearts, we have an insane amount of weird feeling that we don't know what to do with it.
After the war, Mikhail was so ashamed that he couldn't even look me in the eyes for days. He apologized a lot and even when I said I wasn't really mad at him cause least be honest. If I was, I'd totally abandoned him to go have a vacation in the Bahamas.
Oh, I finally met Mikhail's friend Aaron. He's so charming! You'd really like him. Now I see why they work so well together. Mikhail is the serious grumpy one where Aaron is the more fun one. They both almost lost their friendship over all the lies but you wouldn't believe how easily he noted all the supernatural facts so quickly. Hell, he's bugging Mikhail to let him meet the Volkios. One of these days I'm going to bring Raphael to him. An angel in his life would really do him good.
Zach, on other hand, went quiet. The moment we return from hell, he locked himself in Mikhail's place for days. I knew why he was sad. His bindings were gone making him a lone soul. But I know he'll get better. Nowadays he's working as a volunteer in a hospital, where he could take souls that were about to die as his bindings. And, emotionally, I hope one day he finds the strength to move on from all the things he went through.
Also...
I miss Hannah, you know?
Once again, she lost her life trying to keep her people alive. When we came back, Lorette dropped the bomb that she died doing what she did best. Protecting the Coven. I hate that I missed her funeral. I hate that Sage took her from me.
I hate more for not being able to save her.
And I've decided to live as much normal as I can. Which starts with Zach and me going to finish college online. I mean the sole idea was mine but Zach didn't look too disturbed by it. Judging by his mental health now, I am sure this will be the perfect distraction he had been looking for after losing his trinket.
After Zedkiel destroyed the original diary you gave me, he offered me this one as an apology. When I started to write in that diary I was desperate for some kind of normalcy. I wanted to keep myself sane, I wanted the fact like me being a Reaper was just a story, an idea. But I never thought I could find myself again. I never expected to meet my real family and a coven who still had their door opened for me. Once upon a time, I wasn't ready to be a Reaper. But today I am as forever I will be. So this is probably going to be my last entry.
Going to miss you,
-5132."
"5132! We have to go. We're going to be late!"
Mikhail's voice broke the trance I was in. Today was the day we were going to Keisha's funeral. I didn't know what to feel at the moment. I didn't know how to react to all of this. I didn't even know if I should be reacting at all. The car drive seemed unreal, like some horrible dream. Mikhail had been silent and I had stared out of the window.
"It's okay to feel pain right now. It's okay to cry." He whispered to which I only nodded. After that day, the Volkios found Keisha's body in the basement so they brought her with us to bury her. I didn't want to say goodbye. I wanted our last goodbye to be in that abyss. Keisha seemed happy and more alive than the casket she was laying on right now.
"We're here," He suddenly declared making me sigh. It was time. I threw myself from the car, closing my eyes and trying to clear my thoughts.
When Zach saw us coming he ran up and gave me a hug. I hugged him back and watched men carry Keisha's casket through the cemetery from afar. Zedkiel and his clan members organized the whole funeral even if they surely hated her. Though out of all the people, Zedkiel looked mostly hurt as he kept his eyes on the casket the whole time. He even did all the duties a family member should do at a funeral. That was weird but maybe they knew each other years ago. Who the fuck knew? They were practically ancient.
"I know that look in your eyes. This isn't your fault." Mikhail's words gave me the courage to start walking. Zach also joined us with a strained smile. Before we could take a step though, I heard someone call my name.
Turning around I was surprised to see Zedkiel who looked equally tired as me. It hadn't been too long that I had met him but he was one of the best people I had met from this world. I could see why Mikhail respected him so much.
"It was so good to finally meet you, Lana but I'm needed back in New Orleans. It's been too long I haven't been there and the clan needs me. As you can see, being a clan leader and all I need to let other clans know what happened here. They need to be warned if we missed any hellhounds so after the funeral, I'm going home." I was somewhat disappointed that he had to leave but we couldn't keep the leader of a clan in Memphis forever.
So we did our goodbye.
And then finally started the ceremony.
The closer we got, the more my breath shortened, making Mikhail intertwined our fingers together to let me know that he was with me. With a sharp nod, I let him go. I needed to do this. Alone. For some reason, I wanted to cry my heart out but I was too tired to let my emotions show. After someone uncovered Keisha's face, I started to speak.
"Mom, I only knew you for a few days. When I got to know that I was adopted I wanted to blame you. I wanted to know why a mother would be that cruel to leave her children alone. When I got to know that you killed your own daughter the anger inside me only grew. I wanted to take revenge. I wanted you to suffer like Emie did. I started to hate you and most of all I hated myself. I hated that you made me a Reaper." I stopped to take a deep breath.
"But despite everything, you've given me a chance to live. For that I forgive you. I know why you did those cruel acts before. You don't know how much I appreciate you for what you did in your last moments. I know Emie would have forgiven you too if she knew that you were also being victimized by a cruel fate. And if possible, forgive me. I love you and I always will. You will always be in my heart."
I walked over and grabbed a rose to place over Keisha's casket. "And thank you for giving up your magic for me. It was the one last act you did that'll forever be remembered."
The funeral was short-lived and almost everyone was going back. Zach was still waiting on the ground while Mikhail was having a conversation with Ivy a few feet away. Finding this was the best time to approach Zach, I reached into my pocket. The small thing felt like a rock as I pulled it out.
"Zach?"
He turned around immediately. "Yes, your highness?"
Dangling the small bracelet thingy, I couldn't help but smile. "Got something for you. Interested?"
The shock was clearly written on his face as he slowly touched the trinket. The moment he grasped the thing in his hands, he let out a string of questions. "I thought it was gone! Where the hell did you find it? Lana, answer me!"
"I thought it was gone too." I giggled as Zach started air-kissing it like it was his lover. "Today when I was coming here, I was so nervous. Right at that moment Mikhail pulled this one from his pocket and told me to give it to you. According to him, he found it on the ground near Sage died."
Zach scoffed, wrapping the trinket in his wrist like before. "Of course he would give it to you. Poor guy is too coward to talk to me face to face."
I swatted his head at the same moment a gorgeous smile formed on his face. "About that...Should I still hope for a chance?"
I didn't answer him.
I didn't give him hope.
I pulled him down by the collar instead, my thumb trailing the shape of his jaw with a smile and then the next moment, my lips were on his. Kissing him, telling him what I already knew in my heart.
He was mine too. There was no way in hell I'd let him go that easily.
I heard someone clear their throat. I didn't jump in surprise, I didn't hide. After leaving a mark on his lips again, I turned around to see Mikhail standing there. I waited to see anger or disappointment in his gaze but surprising me, he tugged my hair, smashing his lips against mine. I moaned into his mouth, accepting what he was offering.
Something real.
Between the three of us.
"Mikhail?" I breathed out against his lips when he pulled away.
"Yes?"
"Do you accept me?" I watched him look at Zach with a sharp look, at the same time Zach stared at him with conviction...
"I accept you. I accept you both." He whispered, offering me his hand and I took it just as Zach offered me a grin. That's when I knew my life might not be perfectly sane but it didn't matter. I had a beloved who loved me till death and a lover who'd never leave my side.
Whatever may come next.
***
SOMEWHERE IN NEW ORLEANS
"She's back again." Zed's voice broke through the cell I was in but I wasn't in the mood to talk to him. Staring at the walls, I tried to remember how many days it had been.
Four years...
Too long, too long to even remember....no, I could never forget her. My reflection? I could forget it on a whim but her? She never went away from my dreams.
"You need to remove yourself from this ridiculous cell. You can't stay here forever." Zed sighed again and a warning growl left from my lips. I had lost my patience years ago. My control, myself, everything gone in a night.
"Oh, but why my master? Is this earth coming to an end?" I asked Zed bitterly to which he chuckled. Despite my warning, he opened the cell door motioning me to get my ass out. I stared at him and he stared at me. In the end, I huffed, losing the battle. As soon as I was out, I flinched. The light outside almost burned my eyes. Looking down at my arms, I noticed they were unnaturally pale. I hadn't seen the sun for so long...
"I've some good news you have been waiting for," He exclaimed, dragging me to the hall which led to his office. I hadn't been there for so long time that I almost forgot the design of this property. When some of the clan members noticed the new addition with Zed, they took a double look. As soon as we reached the office, Zed handed me a phone with a smile.
"We finally got it. Look."
"Look?" I breathed out with a chuckle. "Unless Hell started having cellphone network, I don't know what the fuck you want me to see."
Zed didn't get angry at my words. Hell, he didn't even twitch. Instead, with a new determination, he pointed at a picture that was taken in a cemetery recently. "Look closely, tell me what do you see?"
"The funeral of that bitch and her remaining daughter...which you attended," The madman aka I replied with disgust. Now Zed showed some emotions.
Anger.
Loss.
"She's dead, Lex. And before you say anything, she was never in her own control. A hellhound made her do everything to this day we know. So please, if you can't show some respect, then don't bother talking about her."
I slammed my fist on the desk with a sneer. "Tell that to Emie. Oh, wait-she's dead too. So I guess I shouldn't bother talking or thinking about her too?"
The anger fueling Zed immediately faded away. He only looked tired as he tried again. "Lex...I didn't mean it like that. Just, do me this favor. You only saw what you wanted to see. Now, Look behind Lana again, what do you see?"
It was getting annoying to the point that I wanted to just go back. Back to my lonesome days. So just to spite Zed, I snatched the phone from him only to freeze when my eyes finally met the sight of someone else.
"Is that..?" I trailed off, too afraid to name it.
"It's Emeline. She must have escaped somehow. She's back, Alexei, she's back."
CONTINUE IN CLAIMED
***
So how was the last chapter of book two? If you have any confusion as to who is the last POV from then it's from our hated yet most beloved character from the first book Alexei or Lex as he loves to call himself. In the third installment, he'll be a regular and, characters from this book will also appear. I may do some bonus chapters before the start of the third book.