Chapter 10

I woke up drenched with sweat, breathing hard while my hands grab a fistful of sheets. Once I realized my nightmare wasn't real, my eyes began to water. My chest was aching because my heart was banging against my chest so hard, like my heart was trying to escape from my ribcage, and it was getting harder to breath because sobs were starting to come in. God, these nightmares: those dark eyes, that vile laugh, those harsh, cold hands, me running and him chasing after me, him finally catching me and pulling me away from my tigers. When will these nightmares end? Why can't I just forget about them so I can't feel this pain, this feeling of pure fear? I want it to go away! I plant my face into my hands and begin to sob when his face appears in my mind. His face won't go away like one of those horrible songs that are stuck in someone's mind all day. I want him gone! Why can't I just forget about everything that happened while I was with Lokesh because all of them are just nightmares?

"Ren? Kishan?" I choke out between sobs as I look around the room for the familiar cobalt blue or golden eyes lurking in the darkness.

God, I seem so pathetic calling to my tigers, but I feel so alone. I need the reassurance that I am not by myself. That the people I love are here with me. I want them to make these nightmares go away! I want them to erase his face from my mind permanently. I want them to corrode this fear and this darkness that's overwhelming me.

"Kelsey? Is everything alright?" Ren asked as I heard him come into my room. "Kelsey," he said more alarmingly when I began to sob some more.

"Please, R-Ren, make them stop. I-I can't take them a-anymore!"

Ren quickly climbed onto my bed and pulled me into his arms, gently cradling my head on his shoulder as he rocked back and forth. Being in his arms eased some of the tension in my body, but I began to cry onto his white shirt, leaving tear stains as my cries were muffled into his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do. I wish Mr. Kadam and Nilima were here. Please, Kelsey, don't cry. They're not real. I'm here. I'm here. Do you want me to stay with you and hold you the whole night?"

I frantically nodded my head. "I don't know how much I can take. The dreams seem like memories to me now. Oh, Ren, what you went through—I-I think I can understand now."

Ren went rigid underneath me, and his muscles began to quiver as I heard a snarl rise from his throat.

I heard him swallow hard. "Kelsey," he whispered in agony, "I wish I can take them away from you. I wish I can." I felt him kiss my head, and he laid his head on top of mine.

"Do you think Mr. Kadam and Nilima are still alive?" I asked.

My sobbing was beginning to lessen, but it was still hard to breath. Breathing Ren's scent of sandalwood was soothing me and it was helping that Ren was stroking my back. It's kind of ironic to think that only not so long ago I was an ordinary girl in Oregon that dreamt to be held by a man like this. Now, I am, but so much has happened in that short time period that it felt like wonderful dreams combined with nightmares.

"Honestly, I don't know, but hopefully they are somewhere safe. I just wish," he took a deep breath, "I just wish Mr. Kadam were here to guide us out of this mess."

I absently began to stroke the back of Ren's neck, trying to soothe him as well. I knew that this must have been hard for him. We both had our own internal struggles to battle with.

He held me for a while; me stroking the back of his neck while twirling my fingers into his soft hair and him stroking my back in soothing patterns along my spine. I was about to fall asleep when we both heard a loud tapping sound coming from my window. I yelped while Ren instantly shifted into his tiger form. Once he jumped off the bed, he began to growl as his hairs rose off his back. I got up as well and intertwined my fingers into Ren's back. I heard the strange tapping noises again, but they sounded more urgent.

"Ren, what is it?" I whispered.

Just as I said it, a glowing orange bird emerged in front of my window—wait it wasn't orange. It was actually on fire! I gasped out loud, but quickly covered my hand over my mouth because I didn't want it to see us . . . it kept staring at us. Well, there was no point in that. As I stared at the bird, I noticed that it was as big as an Eagle but its outstretched wings, which were on fire, touched the ground and there were long fiery, feathers that sprouted from its head and flowed gracefully down its back. The feathers seemed to shimmer with a mixture of oranges, reds, and yellows—well those colors would be logical since the bird was on fire, but it was beautiful.

Is that a Phoenix?

Yes, I am a Phoenix. A helper of the mighty Garuda and a messenger for the Goddess Durga.

Both Ren and I jumped and gave each other astonished glances; apparently, we both heard it through our mind.

"What's a Garuda?" I thought out loud as Ren shifted back and took my hand in his.

"He's a Hindu divinity, usually the mount of the Lord Vishnu. Garuda is depicted as having the golden body of a strong man with a white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak and with a crown on his head. This ancient deity was said to be massive, large enough to block out the sun," Ren answered for me. "He's a symbol of power, speed, and of martial prowess."

Wow, all these magnificent creatures in Hindu culture. So amazing.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Kishan exclaimed as he stormed into my room with Rose trailing behind him.

They both looked like they just crawled out of bed, but Rose looked like she was crying recently. Hopefully, Kishan apologized for his rash behavior. When Rose looked at me, I gave her a warm smile and she returned it with tired, swollen eyes. I guess they did settle it out, which I was glad.

When Rose's eyes saw the Phoenix, her eyes widened and she screamed, "Holy hell, is that a real Phoenix?!"

Kishan and Ren tensed immediately, and I did as well. How are we going to explain this to her? She wasn't even supposed to be on this journey with us and now she is getting thrown into it. Even though her powers are similar to Ren's and Kishan's, she cannot be dragged into our situation. But what if she is cursed like Ren and Kishan? My logical side thought, but I banished it out of my mind. Our journey could risk her life; it's not worth it . . .

The girl is now a part of this journey, the Phoenix said—I guess it was reading all of our thoughts. Durga said so.

"What do you mean Durga said so?" asked Kished as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Phoenix.

No need to fret, tiger. I mean no harm. I'm here only to give a message to you all and for the girl as well. Rose am I correct?

We all looked at Rose as Rose furrowed her eyebrows in bewilderment. "Yes, that's me," she whispered.

Well, then. Durga says that when you find a girl with special abilities your new task to finding the fourth gift may begin. First, you need to travel to my lands in order to retrieve Mr. Kadam and Nilima. No worries, they are not harmed, the Phoenix added when Ren and Kishan both growled in harmony. This journey is to test Rose's stamina as well as the condition of her heart and mind. Durga says that you all will need Rose in order to precede the final prophecy and retrieve Durga's final gift to break the curse officially and permanently.

"Ok, what is going on?" Rose asked in a strained tone.

"We'll explain everything later," Kishan replied as the Phoenix continued.

Durga calls for you and she says to visit her tomorrow if you wish to retrieve Mr. Kadam and Nilima. You will need some weapons from her when you travel to my lands. They are not harmed because they are under my protection, but there are some creatures in my land that search for blood.

"Ok, thank you for telling us . . ." Ren began.

Oh no, thank Durga. I wouldn't have come unless Garuda or Durga ordered me to. However, I have another message but this is for the girl.

Rose stepped forward so that she was facing the Phoenix. She was cautious and unsure as her hazel eyes appraised the Phoenix. We all held our breaths as the tension in the air thickened, threatening to suffocate us all. I began to wriggle slightly when Ren squeezed my hand reassuringly, knowing that I was becoming restless. Kishan stepped beside me as he watched Rose intensely.

"Yes?" Rose said.

Your sister, the one you thought Lokesh killed, she is still alive. Durga wanted you to know that. Lokesh put a hallucination in your mind of your sister's death before you were taken. The hallucination wasn't real as you thought it to be. She is still alive and she is held captive by Lokesh.