Chapter Four
"What have you done? You were supposed to protect her not get her killed." Anya screamed at him. She was standing by the bedroom door pacing as Lucien flashed them into his room at the edge of the bed.
"Anya let him be. Look at his eyes he is fighting the demon inside and your words are inciting him." Lucien pleaded with Anya.
"Cut the arrow Lucien. I will heal. It only nicked my heart." William said but inside he knew his heart was breaking.
As Lucien cut the arrow he silently ushered Anya out of the room and left William with Gillian.
"Liam?"
"Don't speak pet you'll tire yourself further." He pleaded.
"I need to tell you this before it's too late. G was right I've loved you for centuries. My love for you is what cursed me."
"Ssh pet don't speak you're not making sense."
"You've never asked me why I call you Liam especially since the only other person who tried to call you that you denied with the threat of leaving her without satisfaction!" She stated.
"How do you know about that?" William asked.
"I was there, I saw the look on your face! Of course that's not what I was truly focused on while you were pleasuring Hera." Gillian informed him.
"Hera and I were alone until Zeus walked in!"
"You thought you were alone because no one ever thought me as a person only a thing or object." Gilly said with another look of such sadness that William's heart bled even more.
"I know it was a long time ago but I remember it clearly. No one was there besides Hera and I." William said.
"You took her three times in her bedroom. None of which were on the bed. Then you had the brilliant idea to take her on Zeus' throne. That's when I first saw you. That smile, those eyes, I fell in love right then! Unfortunately I didn't fulfill my duties. I was supposed to alert Hera if Zeus was near. I was enthralled by you and I didn't see him walk in! I'm so sorry William I wish I could take it back. The curse he put on you and the pain it caused Hera." Gillian confessed.
"How is this possible? I know no one was there how do you know this?" He asked.
"What stood to the left of hera's throne?"
"Nothing." William answered.
"Think Liam. What was standing there?" She asked again.
"No. It couldn't be." William said realizing instantly how Gillian knew all the things she had about William. Things he hadn't said out loud. Things that only a mind reader could know.
"It could, was and IS." Gillian answered.
"Hera's oracle!" William practically shouted the answer.
"That's a good boy. I knew you would figure it out sooner or later."
"But how are you human?" William asked.
"I'll answer in a minute but will you do me one favor first?" Gilly asked.
"Anything." William replied.
"Kiss me, Liam."
"But you're injured and I don't want to hurt you further." He said.
"Not kissing me is the only thing that could hurt me right now." She replied.
With that William leaned in and softly kissed her on the lips. Even with the taste of blood he could still taste her cherry flavor. "I love you William. Always have always will. Promise me you aren't too angry." She asked.
"Of course I'm not angry how could I ever be angry at such an angelic creature as you."
"Thank you I needed that."
With that she collapsed.
"No! No no no! You can't leave me pet! Please come back to me. I- I love you Gillian! Gods be dammed I love you!" He declared as her head lolled back and her body sagged away from him.
The next few moments were a blur to William the rage had been building and now there was nothing to hold back what he was about to do.
"With the powers bestowed upon me by my brother and mentor I call upon the horseman to wash the world of all the evil and sorrow that I find eating away at Its soul." He commanded to the shadows creeping in towards the bed.
As he spoke the words mist formed around the bed that Gilly lay on and darkness actually started to take shape around William.
"William it has been so long. We thought you had forgotten us Master." The voice laden with despair and darkness came from the shadowy figures forming near him.
The voice was so familiar to William but he didn't want to open his eyes to look at them.
"Horsemen it is time once again to rid the world of evil and to start fresh." William commanded and the tone of his voice made them tremble in fear.
"You have changed William. You do not seem as blood thirsty as the last time. Did this dead girl break your spirit?" One of them asked.
"She has nothing to do with this and you would be wise to not touch her or even look at her lest you lose an arm or leg that I will not allow to be replaced."
"I think you are lying there is definite conflict in your voice. You love her but you hate yourself for doing so." The horseman nearest him said.
"Stop talking and get on with the show."
"Alright but there is not much evil in the world right now it will take some time before you see some results." They answered in unison.
Just then a small gasp came from behind the four horsemen. "William no. Stop them before it is too late." Gillian squealed.
"Gilly? How is this possible?"
"Your love brought me back. Didn't you listen when I told you not to get too angry? It was the only way. I had to let you think I was gone for good to force you to speak your feelings aloud. Now please send them back."
"I can't, once it's started it can never be undone. That is my curse, once I give my heart to a woman she will die for me and in turn my grief will unleash pain and suffering on the world." William informed her.
"William I told you, you wouldn't like it when I was mean but you're forcing my hand on this. By the powers of light and truth be gone foul beasts. Your time on earth will never come to pass again. I know the past, present and future and I tell you now that if you try to end the world it will bring about your demise." Gillian commanded the horsemen and the shadows in the room quickly retreated as if they feared her.
"I think she lies. How can a mere mortal know this?" Said the thinnest of the four.
"She's not a mortal. She is an oracle placed in the body of a mortal." William answered.
"Lies. All oracles are under the control of Cronus or have perished eons ago." The third horseman said.
"Enough talk. If you will not willingly go back to hell then I shall be forced to send you back myself."
"You don't have the power. No oracle does." They all said at once.
"William you didn't tell them who's oracle I was."
"No I didn't." William said still shocked to see her alive again.
"I once sat at the left hand of Hera. Not only did I give her the knowledge she desired to rule justly over mortals and gods but Zeus also used me to place judgment on those who needed punishment."
"Again it's lies. Hera's oracle disappeared when she was imprisoned." They said in unison.
"Silence I am done with you."
Slowly she walked around the horsemen to William's side and whispered to him that he should close his eyes. Reluctantly he did so and with a smug smile she turned to the horseman and said be gone foul beasts back to the depths of hell from whence you came. With that she began to float in the air and her skin began to glow bright white. With an exhale of air she let out a shockwave of light that caused the horsemen to scream and burst into flames. William was also thrown backwards from the force of the wave and slammed against the brick wall of his room which knocked him unconscious for a moment. As he woke up he saw Gillian floating in the air and the glow was no longer as bright but he still had to shield his eyes.
Gillian came back down to the floor and before collapsing looked at William and smiled.
There were shouts at the door and William didn't know what to do. She died in his arms and then somehow came back to life. She had confessed to being Hera's oracle and banished the four horsemen. She was just a child yet eons old. She was his Gilly, his pet, his life. As he sat there holding and rocking her the shouts and banging were louder. He didn't want to get up, didn't want to move, he just wanted everyone and everything to leave him alone with this fragile creature in his arms.
Maddox and Strider were the first to break through the door followed by Anya and Lucien, Sabin, Cameo and in the hallway away from everyone else stood Torin.
"What the hell is happening in her William?" Anya shouted.
"Is the child, dead?" Cameo asked sounding as sad as usual.
"She saved me." William whispered.
"William, what the hell happened? We heard voices in here and I know they weren't you or Gillian. Dammit they weren't even human. They were pure evil. And the shadows were creeping out from under the door and it started to storm outside. Then the light came and the screams. William where did the light come from? It was brighter than anything I've ever experienced. There was an earthquake as well we thought it was Kane but it was coming from in here." Anya said.
"She saved me, Anya." William repeated.
"Willie honey, let us help you with her. Lay her down on the bed so we can take care of her properly." Anya pleaded.
"The boy has lost his mind. He's hugging and rocking a dead girl!" Strider commented.
"She's not dead. She died, came back, banished them and saved me." He said.
"Banished who and what do you mean died and came back?" Lucien asked.
As Anya edged closer she noticed that Gillian was breathing and that her wound was healing before her eyes and she let out a gasp. "Oh my gods, Lucien get them all out of here." Anya demanded.
"But I don't understand, what's going on?" Lucien pleaded to Anya.
"She's breathing and her wound is healing, quickly. I don't know what she is but get the lords out of here." Anya screamed.
"How can she be healing, the arrow went through her heart. She should be dead." Lucien asked.
Ignoring Lucien and the rest of the lords Anya asked William 'would you like us to help you lay her out on the bed? I'm sure we can get some clean towels to clean her up and I can bring in some clothes for her." Anya asked in almost a whisper.
"Don't touch her!" He growled at Anya.
As Lucien stepped forward to protect Anya she quickly raised her hand and once again demanded that they all leave.
"But the girl, if she is alive needs tending to." Lucien pleaded again.
"Lucien, I'll explain in the hallway. Right now she's in good hands with William. Besides he could kill you all on the spot if you so much as step in her direction. He is 100% pure demon right now and possessive beyond belief. More possessive of her than his precious book, we need to give him space." Anya quietly said as she backed away from William and waved each of the lords to follow her lead.
"Anya what was that all about?" Lucien demanded.
"I'm not quite sure but I can tell you that if you get anywhere near William right now he could and would kill you. Something smells differently about Gillian, I don't know what she is but it's definitely not human. And William well he is so angry right now that his eyes are no longer glowing red they turned completely black. There's not a speck of white or iris left just solid black. The last time I saw that happened the person in William's path didn't survive. We need to give him time." Anya said.
"Alright, I'll give him time but if he comes out of this room with so much as a tint of red in his eyes I'm chaining him up for an undisclosed amount of time. Torin, keep a watch on this door." Lucien announced.
"Of course."
William was only half aware of the commotion outside his door. He didn't care, he world consisted only of the unconscious girl in his arms. Lucien was right though, she need to be tended to. Her dress was soaked in blood and had two holes in it from the arrow when it pierced her heart. He lifted her to bed but then thought he couldn't leave her alone for even the second it would take to get a clean wet towel from the bathroom. So instead he grabbed a knife from the dresser and sliced the ruined dress to ribbons, threw the tattered pieces on the floor and carried her to the bathroom. As he cradled her in his arms he turned the warm water on and stepped into the stream. He didn't care that he was still clothed and soaking wet he just wanted to wash away any sign that the arrow had ever broken her skin. The wound which had completely closed now had a dark pink tint to it. By the looks of it he supposed that she would heal completely and no scar would form.
Amazingly he looked past the temptation of her naked body and lovingly washed her body until no speck of blood remained. He even washed her hair and hoped that the cherry scent would override the musky scent of his body wash and shampoo. After she was clean he dried her off with a large towel and placed her gently on the bed and wrapped her up with as many blankets he had in the room. In his mind he knew she was fine but his heart told him to double check that she had enough blankets. He thought about getting more but that required him to leave her unattended. That was not an option. I'll just hold her close to my body, hopefully that's enough warmth for her.
William spent the next few hours pacing the room and quietly talking to her as if she were going to respond back or make a joke. When he finally tired he went to the door and locked it securely before returning to her side. He wanted to make absolutely sure that no one tried to get in to the room if he fell asleep.
In the middle of the next afternoon Gillian started to stir and William quickly ran to her side hoping to see those beautiful eyes staring lovingly at him. Instead it was a nightmare of sorts, she was babbling about not being able to find him or being too late once she found him again. He scooped her up in his arms and rocked her gently and cooed to her that she would never lose him. "Don't be angry, please Liam I couldn't bare it!" Gillian said as she thrashed her head side to side. "Ssh pet, I love you too much to be angry. I just need you to rest and come back to me." He whispered in her ear. "My Liam!" She said as she snuggled in closer to him.
On the following day, Ashlyn knocked on the door gently and told William that she was leaving a tray of food at the door. "I understand that you want to be alone, but you need to eat. If you need anything just text one of the guys, we'd be more than happy to get it for you." Ashlyn said to the closed door but knew she wouldn't get a response. That evening Anya started pounding on the door but again no response.
On the third day of guarding over her William finally noticed the change she was going through. Even without food or drink for almost three days she hadn't withered away. She was actually growing! She seemed at least two maybe three inches taller but it was hard to tell with her laying down on the bed. Her hair was now about six or eight inches longer and there was a distinct section of GOLD in it! Not the kind of gold people refer to on blondes but actually gold as in 24 karat. The shock of the situation did not stop him from looking at her wound though. He was right the wound was almost invisible. She's aging! What am I going to do. She came back from the dead to banish evil I released and her payment now is a rapidly aging death. She doesn't deserve this. I need to find some way to stop it. I have to find Anya! She'll know what to do, she always does.
As he rushed to the door he paused before opening it. He was torn between guarding her sleeping body and finding help through Anya. No no, I can do this! It will only take a moment. I'll lock the door so no one can get in. As he opened the door he was startled by the presence of both Ashlyn and Maddox. Maddox quickly pulled Ashlyn back and stepped in front of her thinking that William was going to attack. "William, you startled us!" Ashlyn half cried.
"Where do you think you're going?" Maddox almost growled at William.
"Maddox, I would never harm Ashlyn or the babies. I was just as surprised as you were that you were outside my door. Actually since you're here can you do me a favor and send Anya here. I need her help. Something is happening and she can probably explain it to me. I don't want to leave Gillian alone." William asked in such a sweet tone that even Maddox had to feel for him.
"As long as you go back in your room and stay there we'll go find Anya and send her to you." Maddox replied.
"Thank you." William said as he walked back in and closed the door.