Author's Note: Sorry, guys, I fell asleep last night before I could post more chapters for you. But I am back and have more chapters for you. Hopefully, I'll finally be able to post all the chapters I already had written before today is over. Keep your fingers crossed! But anyway, as always, please enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters. I would have locked myself up and away from the world with Torin, if I did. That man needs serious love.
Chapter 10 Where, Oh Where Has Baby Girl Gone
No matter where he looked, how long he searched, Maddox couldn't find Ashlyn. Nor could any of them find Isolde for that matter. Video from the fortress had shown Isolde, her rage at being barricaded in her room causing her eyes to shine with fury, bust through her own door, only to run into Hunters as she had stormed down the halls. They had taken the girl, barely able to contain her with four men twice her size.
It had finally taken a needle of some kind of drug to take the girl down and lug her down the halls. But after that there had not been a trace of the girl. Even their demons couldn't pick up on Isolde.
Midnight came and Maddox, away from the fortress, still went through the pain of his death curse. Reyes ended up dragging Maddox back to the fortress and, to his great relief, Maddox awoke the next morning with Ashlyn at his side. But she was sick. She had caught the disease passed from Torin to the Hunters and then to her.
He got water and medicine down her throat and she finally, blessedly, opened her eyes to look at him.
"Home. Hurt. Worse than before." she said hoarsely.
"I know beauty. You're going to get better this time, too." Maddox promised her.
"Boss...Hunter. Dead." she told him.
"What of Danika? And a young woman with zebra print streaks in her hair?" Reyes asked.
"Isolde." Ashlyn replied.
So Ashlyn had met Isolde. They should have known that Isolde wouldn't keep her distance. She never really did as told. Trying to order the girl around was pointless. She did what she wanted, when she wanted and that was all there was to it.
"Yes. Isolde. I followed the hole you came through and found the prison and the dead Hunters, but Danika and Isolde were not inside." Reyes said.
"Danika might be...on her way to...New York. Never saw...Isolde after they...separated us. She was so...angry. Fought...like a demon." Ashlyn replied.
Reyes paled. Isolde was still missing, they had found no trace of her. But from the sounds of it, Isolde was taking it laying down.
"They told you nothing else?" Reyes asked.
"I'm sorry."
"Go. Find her. Find them both." Maddox told Reyes.
Reyes left without another word. Maddox sat with Ashlyn for hours, tending to her, but in the end he took her to a human hospital, praying that they could take care of her. It was all he could do. Reyes on the other hand, spent the whole day searching the whole city for Danika, and would have hopped a plane to New York if it wasn't for Maddox's death curse.
He became so frustrated he screamed his frustrations to the sky and actually got an answer in reply to search the hill. Though weary of the help, Reyes did as instructed and found both Kane and Danika, laying on the ground moaning.
Reyes had Danika in his arms instantly and only nudged Kane with the toe of one boot. Kane came too, grabbing a gun that Reyes only kicked away.
"Go ahead and kill each other." Danika said bitterly.
"How are you hurt?" Reyes asked instead of acknowledging the comment.
"Rocks fell. From a mountain, I guess. He pushed me out of the way to avoid the worst of it and I tripped, hit my head." she told him.
Reyes thanked Kane, the other man rubbing one temple as he got to his feet. Even thought the rocks were probably the work of Kane's demon, Kane had still protected Danika. For that Reyes was grateful.
"Where's your family?" Reyes asked Danika.
"Flying somewhere you'll never think to find them. Now put me down." she retorted.
"No. You're too weak to walk." Reyes replied, turning his eyes to Kane and switching from English to Hungarian.
"How did you save her? And do not answer in English." Reyes said.
"Hunters were on their way to the fortress when Torin and I ran into them. We fought, but there were so many...He was cut and I was taken. They made the mistake of putting her in the same van they'd stashed me in. The tires blew and the vehicle flew off the road." Kane replied.
"And Isolde?" Reyes asked.
"Who?"
"A young woman with zebra streaks in her hair. She was taken from the fortress too."
"I saw her in town once, but I didn't see her with the Hunters."
Reyes swore under his breath. Where the hell was Isolde and what was keeping her from coming home? She was stronger than those human Hunters. She fought with a determination that scared the hell out of Reyes himself. If she really wanted to come home, she would find a way.
Had she finally just ditched them?
It wasn't a thought Reyes wanted to think about. Isolde was like his little sister, he cared about her. Even if she did have a mean left hook she liked to use on him.
"And the Hunters are now...?"
"Dead."
Reyes nodded and turned back to Danika, returning to English.
"Why did you come back?" he asked her.
"He made me. Is Ashlyn okay? I heard them talking about hurting her to draw you guys out so they could find some stupid box. And Isolde! I heard her name just now. They had her, hurt her. Is she alright?" Danika asked.
"Ashlyn has been found. She's very sick. We can't find Isolde. How do you know her?" Reyes asked.
"She came to see us when you had us locked away. She was nice, made us feel safe. Will Ashlyn..."
"Only time will tell. You said they had Isolde. Tell me." Reyes demanded.
"She fought when I saw her. Fought like a devil. I've never seen a woman take down men like that. And with such a fierce look on her face too. Like she was hell bound to not be taken prisoner. But one of them hit her pretty hard with a pipe. They hurt her pretty badly to get her to calm down and then dragged her away. It was the last I saw of her." Danika told him.
Reyes grit his teeth. They had hurt Isolde. They would pay. When he told Lucien and the others, they would want to hurt the Hunters even more. If there were any alive. Reyes still didn't want to give up on the idea that Isolde would rip those humans limb from limb.
"Death waits in town, Danika. You will stay at the fortress until the Hunters are destroyed and the sickness passes." Reyes told her.
"No. I won't. I want to go home now." she told him fighting to get out of his arms.
"Moving like that simply presses your body against mine."
Danika fell deathly still. Reyes started up the hill again. Kane took a different route, cutting down the hazards in Reyes' way.
"Am I to be your prisoner again?" Danika asked.
"Guest, as long as you stay put. We've had to lock Aeron in the dungeon. You are not to go down there. Ever. Understand? He will kill you without blinking." he told her.
"Yet another reason I want to go home. Things like this don't happen there." she replied.
"Where is home?
"Like I'm going to tell you. Kidnapper."
Reyes simply let the kidnapper part slip past. He had to focus on getting her back. Then he needed to tell the others what she had told him about Isolde. The girl was still somewhere out there, hurt. Maybe even dead. They had to find her.
Somehow.
Someway.
-0-0-0-0-
Lucien, Paris, Reyes, and Maddox were about to go insane looking for Isolde. Finding her would have been easier if they had Torin to help, but the man was still resting, still healing. Two days after dropping Ashlyn off at the hospital, the men searched and found no sign of the girl. Then, late on the second day, the front swung open, the wood smacking and bouncing off the stone wall. Several warriors flew down the stairs, into the foyer, ready to fight, only to find a bloody, battered, and worn out Isolde, sliding down the wall just inside the door with a sigh.
"Baby girl! Lucien! Isolde's here!" Paris yelled, rushing to Isolde, Reyes at his side.
Maddox and Lucien flew down the stairs, past the others to join them.
The girl was a mess. Her hair was plastered to her head in spots with dried and wet blood, other spots were a tangled mess around her head. One part of her face was covered in blood, forcing her to keep her left eye closed. One arm hung limply from its socket, clearly dislocated. The knuckles of both hands were caked in dried blood, bruises coloring them as well as various parts of her body along with gashes.
Her bare feet were torn to ribbons, her jean shorts and tank top ripped in the same manner. There was a gunshot wound to her left side, a stab wound to her right thigh, and bloody rings around both wrist. She had been cuffed at once point and had fought like hell against them.
One good eye fixed on the men as they knelled before her.
"Baby girl, what happened?" Paris asked.
Isolde's eye flew past them to the new arrivals gathered on the stairs. She wasn't shocked to see them. Then again she was rarely shocked.
"I see you finally ran into them. Enjoy the bomb?" Isolde retorted dryly, her voice hoarse and cracking.
"You knew." Lucien stated.
"Of course I knew. And I would have been right there with you, instead of here, if you haven't boarded me into my room. As soon as I can feel and use my hands again, you and I are going to have a very long chat, Lucien." Isolde told him, fixing him with one two-toned eye.
Lucien, just happy to have her home and alive, would gladly accept any punishment she saw fit to dish out to him. Well...maybe not gladly.
"You do not need your hands to speak with me." Lucien told her.
"I do when I want to claw you to ribbons." Isolde retorted sourly.
Lucien knew her mood would improve when she was cleaned up and not in so much pain, so he didn't hold her words against her. Though rather she would actually do the clawing or not, he still debated.
"What happened? Where have you been?" Maddox demanded.
"Not all of the Hunters got sick. They were still alive. They finally figured out that it was me who has been killing off their members for the last two weeks. Wanted revenge. Revenge is just dandy...when I'm the one dishing it out. It sucks being on the receiving end." Isolde told them.
"Were?" Reyes asked.
A grin curved Isolde's mouth and she raised one hand barely curling the fingers to make a gun before saying, "Pow". They got the picture. Isolde had killed every last one of them.
"Of course they did a number on me first." she remarked, looking down at herself.
"And you returned the favor." Paris said without a single bit of doubt in his tone.
"You bet your ass, I did! You take a swing at me and you're taking the chance that I'll beat the shit out of you in reply. Doesn't matter if you actually land a hit. And after the pipe to the head and the needle in the neck...those bastards deserved to eat my bullets!" she replied.
Isolde winced as pain shot through her arms and chest. She wrapped her arms around her chest and cursed under her brother.
"Damn, that smarts." she muttered.
Before any of them could say a word, Strider stepped forward, finally recognizing the bloody mess of a woman for the female who had taken his guns.
"Hey. You were the one that took my guns." he said.
"Yeah, that was me. Sorry but if you want those back, you'll have to go digging among a mess of dead Hunters. Nice guns though." Isolde replied.
"You actually took them." Strider added.
Isolde gave a shrug of her good shoulder and winced, one arm snaking around her ribs which gave a soft crunch that had the men wincing too.
"As I've learned from Maddox, if you want to keep your weapons, don't let go of them so easily." Isolde told Strider.
"Alright, that is enough." Lucien said, cutting off any reply Strider had.
Lucien scoped Isolde up in his arms.
"Let's get you cleaned up. Obviously you won't be cooking for a while." Lucien said, carrying her past the others and up the stairs, Isolde snorting.
"Admit it, that's the only reason you keep me around." she remarked.
"I'm sure we could come up with a few other reasons as to why." Lucien told her.
"You're not denying it."
Lucien shook his head before vanishing from sight with the girl. When he was sure they were gone from earshot, Sabin turned to the others.
"Do your demons do the same things ours do when she's around?" he asked.
"Huh? You mean act strangely? Yeah they do. You get used to it. It's the effect they have on her that's the part you have to watch out for." Paris told them.
"What do you mean?" Cameo asked.
"Isolde can hear the demons as they speak in our minds. She always knows when they are near or when they are worked up. The demons can turn that link on her, use her as an outlet for their desires." Maddox explained.
"She's broken a few of our bones in fits of violence, pain, and wrath. They are the ones that get to her the most. She keeps Death and Disease out and she refuses to tell us what happens when my demon gets to her." Paris added.
The others blanched at the idea. The idea of a second Disaster or a second Misery, wasn't appealing to them.
"She won't tell you when it happens though. You have to be able to read her and watch her eyes to figure it out. The blue edge to her eyes will vanish and they will turn red when she is about to lose control. Usually she stays in her room or works off her frustration on the punching bag." Reyes told them.
"And then we have to replace the punching bag because she works it over until she splits the bag." Maddox retorted.
"It's better than having her break my nose again." Paris retorted.
"Your's isn't the only one she's broken. She nearly strangled Maddox the other day when he lost it and pinned her and almost took off one of fingers too." Reyes told him.
"So she's got bite." Strider said.
"She bites alright. She took a chunk out of Lucien's arm once and she likes him the most." Maddox retorted.
"No, she likes me best because I'm not always telling her what to do." Paris replied, heading up the stairs.
"You're also the one that takes any chance to undress her." Maddox snapped back.
"Only for medical purposes." Paris shot back, smile on his face before he vanished as well.
"Where did this girl come from?" Sabin asked, not exactly sure how he felt about her presence.
"She fell from the sky. Literally. Went right through the roof and every floor until she landed here in the foyer. We do not know where she comes from and she does not know how she came to be here. She's been here since." Maddox replied.
The look on Sabin's face was doubtful as he thought that over.
"Talk to her, yourself if you don't believe it." Reyes told him.
Sabin would do that, and he would have Lies and Secrets with him.
-0-0-0-0-
Isolde looked up with her one good eye when her door opened again. Lucien had just finished helping her to bandage her injuries leaving her with half her face, her whole chest, her hands, and various other parts of her body, wrapped in bandages. She was reclining in her pillows, shirtless since the bandages covered nearly every inch of her from her collar bones to her waist, when Sabin, followed by Amun and Gideon, entered the room. Strider, Cameo, and Kane remained at the door.
To them, she looked better. She had managed to clean her hair, which now fell around her in a damp, silky, curtain, and the blood had been cleaned from her skin. One good eye watched them, the blue edge telling them that she was perfectly in control, perfectly calm with the presence of the new demons. Lucien looked up at him from where he sat on the edge of her bed.
"What is it?" he asked.
Isolde laid a hand on his arm, making him look at her. She kept her eye on the others.
"Don't worry about it, Lucien. I know what they want." she told him.
Lucien looked between them before getting up. He bent over, giving her a kiss on the crown of the head and moved away from the bed to a chair at the table place off to the side of her room.
"Something on your mind?" Isolde asked Sabin.
"A lot. Who are you?" Sabin asked.
"Isolde Amorette Lord."
That wasn't exactly what he had meant and he had a feeling, she knew that.
"That's not what I meant."
"I know, but I can't really tell you anything else. I'm not a Hunter, have no connection to them or anyone else who could mean you or anyone here harm, if that's what you're asking." Isolde replied.
Sabin looked at Gideon.
"I'm not lying, so you don't need to look to Lies. I won't lie when you have the keepers of both Lies and Secrets here." Isolde told him, making Sabin look at her.
"How did you-"
"Let's get this out of the way now, since I'm not really fond of repeating myself and you'll figure this out pretty soon. When it comes to you, the Hunters, the Titans, pretty much everyone you'll come in contact with...I know everything. Past, present, and future. Pretty much the only thing I don't know is my own future and believe me...that sucks." Isolde said, cutting Sabin off.
"How do you know?" Sabin asked.
"Next question."
Sabin popped his jaw. Isolde seemed to be a girl who was used to being stubborn and denying others answered. One look at Lucien told him that he was right. Sabin glanced at Amun, but the man's brow was furrowed as he looked at Isolde.
"I already said I won't lie. No point in it. And Amun's not going to find anything either. I build mental blocks against the demons all the time. Some stronger than others depending on the demon. Death, Disease, Secrets...there's no way I'm letting those in my head. Especially not Secrets. No offense, Amun, I know you can't control it, but my secrets are my own. He won't find anything if I don't want him too." Isolde said, drawing Sabin's attention to her.
"Why won't you answer?" he asked.
"No point. Just like I won't tell you about your future." she replied.
"Why not?"
"Everything that happens, every struggle, every fight, everything has to happen. I can't change the course of the future. It could cause disaster far greater than anything Kane could bring about. I can give hints now and then, but I can't tell you. And believe me, knowing isn't exactly a trip for me."
Isolde tilted her head to the side, wincing slightly as a sharp pain shot up through her neck, but she didn't mind it.
"Now I might be able to answer a few questions, depending on what you ask. But anything definite and I'll have to deny you. That's the rules and I have to play by them." Isolde added.
"Who made the rules?"
"Can't answer."
"Are you on our side?"
"Without a doubt."
"Where do you come from?"
"I was born in Ireland, raised between Greece and Australia, but I was in the States before I ended up here."
A glance at Gideon and Sabin knew all the answers so far had been truthful.
"Are you human?" he asked.
"Use to be. Now, I'm not so sure. No human should be able to heal as fast as I do now. Nor should they have the abilities I'm starting to realize I have. So that's a bit of a grey area for me."
Sabin cocked an eyebrow at that. It wasn't a lie. Gideon wasn't picking up on any lies.
"Abilities? Like what?" he asked.
"I can call shadows to me, to hide me. It's how I hid from them when they chased me after I took Strider's guns." Isolde said, gesturing vaguely towards Strider. "They ran straight past me. Gideon almost elbowed me right in the face."
Another truth.
"Exactly why did you take my guns?" Strider asked.
"I just wanted to mess with the lot of you. A tiny form of pay back for Sabin making Maddox think he was a god when he was upset over possibly losing Ashlyn."
Sabin shot a look at Lucien, who was smiling as he looked at his feet. Apparently this was normal behavior for Isolde and brought great amusement to Lucien when it wasn't being directed at him.
"I have one more question." Sabin said, turning his eyes back to her.
"Shoot."
"Do you know where Pandora's Box is?"
Silence met him as Isolde stared at him, debating clear in the one eye they could see. Lucien sat forward when only silence met the question.
"Isolde?" he asked.
"To say no would be to lie. To say yes would earn me eternal damnation in your eyes when I then have to refuse to tell you where it is." Isolde replied.
Sabin took a step forward, stopping when Lucien tensed. Isolde was completely at ease, not worried in the least bit.
"You know where the box is." Sabin stated.
"I do."
"But you won't tell us."
"I can't. Believe me if I believed that telling you now would benefit you, I would. But you have to go through the events leading up to finding it. If I thought it would be of harm to you, not to tell you, I would tell you. But that's not the case. A lot has to happen before Cameo finds the box."
All eyes turned to Cameo as shock fell on her lovely features.
"I find the box?" she asked.
Isolde nodded once, winced and refused to move her head too much after that.
"Sorry but that's all the hints I can give for now."
All of it was the honest truth, no beating around the bush. Sabin wasn't happy with it, but at least he knew that in the end, they would find the box. And from what she suggested, Isolde would give them more hints along the way. Now he understood why Lucien and the others had been panicked by the idea of this girl falling into enemy hands. She was a value to have.
"If you don't mind, could you save the rest of your questions for later? I haven't slept since I was taken from here and could use it now." Isolde said. "And, no offense, but the shouting of your demons is giving me a bigger headache then I already have."
Sabin had tuned out the yelling of his demon but she was right, his demon, at least, was shouting, trying to project doubts into the girl's mind and failing to do so. That confused Sabin. Doubt had never failed to make anyone doubt themselves or something.
"Just one more question." he told her.
Isolde raised the one visible eyebrow he could see and waited to hear what the question was.
"How is my demon not causing you to doubt?" he asked.
She didn't smile, didn't frown. Her expression went carefully blank as she looked at him.
"When you have lived the life I did before coming here, you hear every insult in the book, go through every kind of torture imaginable, and have every doubt possible. He's not projecting anything I haven't already gone through, haven't already told myself, so it's easy enough to ignore. At least for me it is. Not to mention all the other demon voices in my head, kind of drown him out." she replied.
That opened up more questions but the girl sank down in her pillows then, releasing a very tired yawn behind one hand. Now that he looked at her, Sabin could tell the girl needed sleep. There were horrible dark circles under her eyes. Or at least the eye he could see. He would ask more questions later and with a nod to Lucien, the others filed out. Lucien nodded back, moving to Isolde's bed side to pull a blanket up over the girl. Sabin got the image of Lucien as a father as the man bent make sure she was tucked in carefully.
Isolde was an interesting girl. She had no problem answering most questions, didn't try to lie or beat around the bush, but she refused to budge once she had put down the law. He could grow to like the girl. Before they could fully leave the room, Isolde's voice sounded again.
"Oh, Cameo?"
Cameo turned to look at the girl as she raised enough to look at her.
"Yes?" Cameo asked.
"You have a lovely voice. Don't let these numb-skulls tell you any differently. Give them a good smack if they do." Isolde told her.
With that, she laid back. Cameo managed a small smile, hearing that. Isolde had seemed perfectly honest when she had said that. Strider muttered something about screwed up ears under his breath and Cameo elbowed him hard in the stomach. If nothing else, Isolde had found a friend in Cameo.
-0-0-0-0-
A few days later, Maddox brought Ashlyn home from the hospital. He had insisted on carrying her the whole way and would have carried her straight to his room if she hadn't insisted on seeing that Isolde was fine. She had told him what she had seen happen to the other female, which had angered Maddox because Isolde had been hurt and Ashlyn had been forced to watch. Ashlyn wanted to see with her own eyes that Isolde was alright, so he took her to Isolde's room.
Isolde was laying back in a pile of pillows. Even though a few days had passed, her injuries had been bad enough that half of her face was still wrapped in bandages along with her chest, hands, and feet. She was wearing a shirt she had snatched from Reyes, her body aching too much to bother with her own clothes. Ashlyn gasped when Maddox sat her beside the bed, which had Isolde's only visible eye opening to look up at her.
"Ashlyn, you're back. I'm glad to see you healthy again." Isolde said, giving Ashlyn a smile.
Ashlyn dropped, carefully, onto the bed beside Isolde reaching out to sweep Isolde's hair away from the bandaged half of her face. Maddox left the two alone and went to get something for Isolde to eat. She would need it to continue to heal.
"Your eye, it's not..." Ashlyn couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
Isolde had protected Ashlyn when the Hunters had them together and had tried to hurt Ashlyn for answers. They had hurt Isolde instead.
"No, it'll be fine. I heal faster than the average human. And besides...I got them worse than they got me." Isolde promised her.
"Still. It has to hurt. I'm so sorry. You were protecting me and Danika and her family." Ashlyn said.
"Its fine, Ashlyn. There's more important things we need to talk about."
Ashlyn gave her a questioning look.
"You're not going to tell Maddox about Anya." Isolde stated.
Ashlyn's eyes widened in surprise and looked around to make sure Maddox wasn't back and hadn't heard.
"How do you know that?" she asked.
"I told you I wasn't human Ashlyn. I know the past, the present, and the future of everyone around me. I know that Anya visited you and told you how to free Maddox. I had told him a month ago that he would be freed, but he obviously hasn't paid me much attention." Isolde told her.
Ashlyn's eyes snapped back to her.
"It'll work?"
Isolde nodded.
"You're a brave woman, Ashlyn. Braver then me. I couldn't sacrifice like that. I don't have the heart to do it." Isolde told her. "You've been very good to and for Maddox. More so then you'll ever know."
Ashlyn swallowed hard taking hold, gently, of one of Isolde's swollen and bandaged hands.
"You know the future, Isolde, tell me...will he be alright?" Ashlyn asked.
"He'll be the happiest man alive."
Ashlyn nodded and Isolde gave her hand as much of a squeeze as she could manage.
"You'll be fine Ashlyn. You'll be strong, and courageous. Gods bless you, Ashlyn. When you talk to Reyes and Lucien, remind them that I warned them. And tell them I said either do it or I'll chain them to Maddox's bed and do it to them."
Ashlyn gave her a small smile. Maddox returned then with a bowl of fruit and a bottle of ice water for Isolde.
"Thank you, Maddox." Isolde told her.
Maddox nodded and turned to Ashlyn, asking if she was ready to go. Ashlyn met Isolde's eye, Isolde giving her a smile and supportive squeeze of the hand.
"Yeah. Rest up, Isolde." Ashlyn said.
Isolde nodded. Ashlyn got to her feet and Maddox scooped her up. At the door, Isolde stopped Maddox.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ashlyn." Isolde called out.
Ashlyn looked over Maddox's shoulder as Isolde relaxed back in her pillows, closing her eye once more. She didn't know what the younger female meant, knowing that tonight would be her last night, but she was thankful Isolde didn't say a word.
Later, after Maddox was asleep, Ashlyn went in search of Reyes and Lucien and found them and a few others working out.
"Ahem."
All eyes turned to her when she made herself known.
"I need to talk to you." she told Reyes and Lucien.
"If you're going to try to talk us out of killing Maddox tonight, save your breath." Reyes told her, turning back to his punching bag.
"I'll listen to you, sweet." Paris pipped in.
"Quiet. If Maddox heard you, he'd go for your head." Lucien told him.
"Want me to kiss them for you?" Gideon asked.
"You shut up too, Gideon. And don't cozy up to her. She's taken. I'll have to hurt you. Better yet, I'll get Isolde after you." Reyes growled.
"I'd hate to see you try." Gideon replied, grinning at him.
Ashlyn pushed the strange conversation out of her head and turned back to Lucien and Reyes.
"You're right, I don't want you to kill Maddox tonight. I want you to...kill me instead." Ashlyn replied.
All eyes snapped to her again, everything grinding to a halt in the room.
"What did you just say?" Reyes gasped out.
"Curses are broken through sacrifice. Preferably self-sacrifice. If I sacrifice myself, dying in place of Maddox, his curse will be broken." she replied.
"How can you be sure? What if it doesn't work? What if Maddox's death-curse isn't broken and you've died for nothing?" he asked.
"At least I will have tried. But, uh, I kind of have it on the highest authority that this will work."
"The gods?"
Ashlyn nodded.
"That...and Isolde told me to remind you that she warned you about this. She said to tell you, to do what I ask or she would chain you to Maddox's bed and do to you what you do to him." Ashlyn added.
Lucien and Reyes both went pale. Isolde was never wrong and they knew for a fact that she would do as she threatened.
"You would do that? For Violence?" Paris asked in disbelief.
"Yes." Ashlyn replied.
"I stab him that means I would have to stab you. Six times. In the stomach." Reyes told her.
"I know. I see it in my mind every day, and I relive it every night."
"Let's say you do break his curse, not that I am doubting Isolde, you will have condemned him to a life without you." Lucien said.
"I'd rather he live without me than die repeatedly with me at his side. He suffers so much and I just can't allow it. And Isolde said that he would be the happiest man in the world in the future. I believe her." Ashlyn replied.
"Self-sacrifice. Sound ridiculous to me." Reyes said with a snort.
"Look at the world's most beloved fairy tales. Selfish queens always die and the good princesses always win."
"Like you said, fairy tales." Reyes replied.
"Aren't all fairy tales based in fact? You yourself are supposed to be nothing more than a myth. Pandora's Box is a story parents read to their children at night. That means life itself is a fairy tale. Like the characters, we all live and love and search for a happily-ever-after. Besides, as you said...Isolde is never wrong." Ashlyn countered.
Lucien thought about this. Isolde always knew what she was talking about.
"Alright. We'll do it." Lucien agreed.
"Lucien!" Reyes scoffed.
"This will free us, too, Reyes. We'll be able to leave the fortress for more than a single day. We could travel if we wished. We could leave-and stay gone-when we craved solitude. Isolde, herself, said that Maddox would have to lose what he loves the most, to be free. In the movies Paris forced us to watch, good always overcomes evil with an extreme act of self-sacrifice." Lucien said.
"Human movies mean nothing. If we do this, we could be cursed even more. Punishment for defying the gods' will." Reyes argued.
"For Maddox, for freedom, why not risk it?"
"Maddox will not like it. I think...I think he would rather have the human."
"Sometimes what we want isn't what we need." Lucien replied.
"Alright." Reyes agreed.
"Tonight. It has to be tonight. Just give me as much time as possible with him, okay?" Ashlyn asked.
Reyes and Lucien nodded grimly in agreement.
-0-0-0-0-
Midnight came swiftly and Ashlyn knew her time was done.
"What's wrong, love? Tell me and I will make it better." Maddox said.
"It's almost midnight." she replied.
"I will be fine."
"I know."
"Hardly hurts, I swear."
"Liar."
"I want you to stay in another bedroom tonight."
"I'm going to stay with you." Ashlyn argued.
Maddox could hear the determination in Ashlyn's voice and knew she could be just as stubborn as Isolde if she wanted to be. And Isolde never budged on anything if she didn't want to.
"Alright. We will-"
The door opened then to allow Reyes and Lucien entry to the room. Maddox gave Ashlyn another kiss, promising her they would finish the conversation tomorrow, before he laid down on the bed. Reyes shackled his wrist, Lucien his ankles.
"At least turn away when they begin." Maddox told Ashlyn who crouched beside him.
"You know I love you."
"Yes. And you know I will love you forever and afterward." he replied.
"Listen, Maddox...don't blame anyone but me for this, okay. You've suffered enough, too much, and as the woman who loves you, it's up to me to save you. Know that I do it willingly, because you mean more to me than my own life." Ashlyn told him, feeding him another kiss before she stood. "I'm ready."
Confusion fell on Maddox's expression as she turned to Lucien and Reyes.
"Ready for what? What would I blame you for?" Maddox asked.
No one answered him as Reyes drew his sword. Maddox felt dread weight his stomach down like a brick.
"What's going on? Tell me. Now." he demanded.
Reyes approached Ashlyn, no one saying a word to Maddox as he strained against his chains and begged Ashlyn to leave the room.
"I'm ready. Should we go to another room?" Ashlyn asked.
"No. You said you wanted the ultimate sacrifice, remember? He has to watch and understand what you're doing for him." Lucien told her, the three ignoring Maddox's snarls.
Ashlyn turned tear filled eyes on Maddox, telling him once again that she loved him. Maddox understood then what was happening, recalled Isolde's words about sacrifice and his freedom. He cried, shouted, cursed, and fighting to get to the woman he loved. Even curse Isolde for yet another warning she had given him that he had not understood until it was too late.
"No. Do not do this. Please, do not do this. I need you, Ashlyn. Reyes, Lucien. Please. Please!" Maddox rambled.
Reyes faltered for one a moment before he delivered the first blow. Maddox screamed, struggling to reach Ashlyn. Ashlyn heard Isolde's words in her head again.
"You're a brave woman, Ashlyn. Braver then me. I couldn't sacrifice like that. I don't have the heart to do it. You'll be fine Ashlyn. You'll be strong, and courageous."
She pressed her lips together and refuse to utter a single sound. She would prove Isolde right. With each new stab, Maddox felt the curse weaken, but he didn't care. He would keep the curse if it meant keeping Ashlyn and once again he cursed Isolde, as if she was the one responsible for all of this.
No matter how much he screamed, how he pleaded, Ashlyn was not spared and he was not allowed free until the last blow had been delivered and Ashlyn lay lifeless on the floor. Lucien released him then and he flew to Ashlyn's side, gathering her in his arms, but she was gone. He pleaded with the heavens to give her back, promised anything if he could have her back. And someone answered.
All eternity? Now that's commitment.
Maddox heard the female voice in his head and did not hesitate to answer.
"Yes. Yes! Forever. All eternity. I cannot live without her. She is everything to me." Maddox replied.
I like you, cowboy, I really do.
"Do you hear a woman in your head, too?" Lucien asked.
"Yes. Who are you?" Reyes asked.
Your new best friend, sugar.
"Help me, then." Maddox begged.
Silly immortal. For days I've been breaking the rules-which is kinda a hobby of mine-to help you. Not sure I want to keep it up, though. You and your woman are serious time-consumers.
"Please. Help her, and I'll never need another moment of your time. I swear it. Just give her back to me. Please. Please."
You insulted the big dogs last week, Violence, and I really liked that. Made me sit up and take notice, to be honest. Not many people break form the mold anymore, you know? And for a Lord to do it...rockin'! Know why?
"No."
Not that Maddox really cared. He just wanted Ashlyn.
Awesome. Lesson time.
"Ashlyn is-"
Not going anywhere. Now hush it. I need to lay some background so you understand exactly what I'm risking for you.
Maddox zipped his mouth closed. Anything for Ashlyn.
So anyway, the Titans are in control, the bastards, and they totally plan to take the world back to what it was in their heyday. A place of peace, a place of worship, blah, blah, blah, where humans bow and sacrifice to them, and all that shit. In a few days, two temples will suddenly rise from the sea. You just wait. It will be the beginning of the end, for sure. I don't know whether the Titans want you guys dead or not in the big scheme of things, but I do know they plan to use you to get what they want.
"The women. Danika." Reyes said.
Bingo. Something about her bloodline, maybe a prophecy. I'll have to study up 'cause I'm mostly drawing a blank. From what I've heard you got yourself a new little birdie who know a hella lot more than I do. Ask her. But you can see my dilemma, right? By helping you, I'm really going to piss off the new management.
"Do you wish me to kill them for you? I will do it. I will." Maddox said.
"Maddox. Stop. Before you bring a far worse curse upon our house. She's going to help you. She's just pretending she's got to bargain. Right, goddess?" Lucien said.
Oh, a Smartie McSmartpants. You're a sexy one, I'll give you that. No time for that. Unfortunately. Like I was saying before, the little woman really impressed me. I didn't think she'd do it, truth be told. What a show, though, right? If I had bodily functions, I think I would have peed my pants.
"Goddess. Focus. Please."
"Maddox." Lucien warned.
Anya. My name is Anya. And I'm not, technically, a goddess myself, just the daughter of one, so stop lumping me in the same category as those jackoffs.
"What can I do? Tell me! I will do anything" Maddox said.
Your woman gave up her life for yours. Are you willing to do the same? Because you should know, my powers are contingent on others' actions and I can't do anything unless you do. Oh, and there's the little matter of payment.
"Yes. I will sacrifice anything for her. I will give whatever payment you ask." Maddox promised.
Alright, here's the scoop. I've got Titans chasing me down. Don't ask me why. It's a long story. Anyway, they're hunting me like a freaking animal and have been for, like, days. If I ever come to you for help, you're going to give it. Understand?
"Yes. Anything."
Not just you, sweetness. All of you.
There was a pause in which Maddox considered slicing both Lucien's and Reyes' throats before they too agreed.
Okay, then. A deal is struck. Your woman will wake up, and she'll be bound to you. She'll live as long as you do. Not a bad deal for a mortal, really. But if one of you dies, you both die. Got it?
"Yes, yes."
If you try and renege, know that I'll kill you, which will kill her. I'll cut off your heads and feed them to the gods on a silver platter.
"I understand. I accept."
There a heartbeat of silence before a whirlwind kicked up around Maddox, ripping Ashlyn from his arms. He tried reaching for her, but stopped when he realized her blood was flowing back into her body. Everything rewind, like a video tape and Maddox end up back on the bed, chained. As soon as the whirlwind started, it stopped and everyone stared around at each other's, confused as to what had happened.
"What happened? I was dead. I know I was. I can still feel that blade cutting through my-Oh my God, Maddox, what did you do? Did the curse reverse, too?" Ashlyn asked.
"That was...I do not have words. I stabbed her." Reyes said.
"Free me. The chains." Maddox demanded.
Lucien did as asked and Maddox leaped at Ashlyn, pulling her into his arms, kissing her.
"But the death-curse-"
"Is broken. I swear it. I feel its ties no more." Maddox assured her.
Enjoy yourselves, boyz, 'cause now you're free from Maddox's curse, as well. Don't worry though. I'm sure your demons will keep you plenty miserable. Just don't forget our deal. Ta-ta for now.
With that Anya's voice vanished and both Lucien and Reyes were felled to their knees as something in them changed and shifted. They were free and they knew it.
"I do not have to kill Maddox anymore. The pull of his death is gone. Gone!" Reyes said in awe.
"The death-curse truly is broken. As Isolde foretold. Thank you, Ashlyn. Thank you. You are a remarkable human." Lucien said in true gratitude.
"I'd like to say it was my pleasure." she teased.
"You died for me. You died for me." Maddox growled.
"I'd do it again. I love you." she told him.
"Never again, woman. You will never leave me again." Maddox told her, spinning her around.
"Never." she agreed.
"Reyes, Lucien. You will leave." Maddox told them.
The two gladly left. Maddox knew he would have to apologize to Isolde later. Even if she didn't know it, he had cursed her for her warning. He would apologize to her, for now that he thought about it, she had known how it would play out, for she had told Ashlyn, she would see her the next day. And she would. But first, Maddox would hold his woman.
-0-0-0-0-
Isolde looked at the clock on her nightstand and smiled to herself. It was past midnight. She had felt the peeking fury from Violence and then the overwhelming joy. She knew it was done, that Maddox was free and he would have Ashlyn forever. She couldn't help the wide grin on her face, even if it hurt the left side of her face where burns and peeled of skin, marred her face. Isolde relaxed into her pillow, sighing in relief. She had been tensed since she had first felt the spike in Violence's temper, making her broken ribs and torn skin, ache. She was grateful to relax now that it was over.
A knock on her door had her looking up as Lucien and Reyes entered the room.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
Both claimed a seat on the edge of her bed.
"Ashlyn had to die. That was what you meant by sacrifice." Lucien said.
"It was."
"And you knew she was going to live, despite it." Reyes added.
"I did."
"And you couldn't tell us that?" Lucien asked.
Isolde heaved a sigh.
"Paris told me of the conversation you two had with Ashlyn earlier today. You doubted me." she replied.
Lucien and Reyes shared a look, both feeling a little shame for having doubted her for a single moment. Sabin might doubt her, but she had proved to them that she was always right. When they looked at her, they could see the hurt buried deep in her gaze.
"You have our deepest apologies, Isolde." Lucien told her.
"I don't want your apologies, Lucien. None of you, ever, have to apologize to me." Isolde told him.
"Then what do you want?" Reyes asked.
"Your trust."
Both men felt like they had just been stabbed in the heart. Isolde felt like they didn't trust her and that that was why they had doubted her.
"We trust you, Isolde." Lucien told her.
"Then why did you doubt me when I've proven that I know what's going to happen? I already have reason to be angry with you, Lucien. Don't me make feel hurt on top of it. That's something I haven't felt in years and I'm not fond of the feeling."
The memories swimming in her gaze called forth hurt, anger, so much sadness, that both men felt the need to protect her even more then they had ever felt. She had been hurt and she didn't want to feel that way anymore. They couldn't blame her.
"We won't doubt you again, Isolde." Lucien promised.
Isolde met both of their gazes, looking deep. Their demons were passive at the moment, for once not trying to nag of her ear. For all that they did try to slip into her head and use her, they didn't like it when she was hurt. No more than their keepers did. That was good. Isolde was sick and tired of being hurt. Not physically. Physically hurting, she could handle. Mental and emotional hurt was something she didn't like. She hated it. With a passion. Just like she hated fear. They were emotions that hurt, that made her weak.
Isolde wouldn't be weak for any reason.
"You will doubt, because that is normal. I'm not asking for the impossible, Lucien. I just want trust. I just want to know that someone actually trusts me. I'll never be able to trust again if I don't know others trust me as well." Isolde told him.
Lucien leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead.
"We trust you, Isolde. That is not an issue. Things are changing and we are not use to that, but we do trust you." he told her.
He was rewarded with a smile that had to hurt her.
"We will be having a meeting tomorrow. Do you want to join us?" Reyes asked.
Isolde nodded.
"Then I will carry you down. For now rest." Lucien told her.
The two got to their feet but Isolde's still swollen fingers wrapped limply around their wrist, stopping them. The two looked down at her.
"Just promise me one thing." she told them.
"What?" Lucien asked.
"Don't hate me for not telling you things. If I had told you about Ashlyn's sacrifice being key, you would have insisted on doing it sooner when they need to realize their love for each other. I don't tell you for a reason. Please don't hate me for that."
Lucien pat her hand, careful of the knuckles.
"We don't hate you, Isolde. Never could. Now rest." Lucien told her.
With that Isolde released them. The two wished her a goodnight and left her to her rest. Isolde would give them one thing, they really did care. What she had done to deserve it, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to push it away. Now it was simply trying to survive everything else. Life had turned into a real jumble of chaos.
-0-0-0-0-
The next afternoon, Lucien called the meeting and carried Isolde down to the entertainment room where he handed her over to Reyes, who sat her in his lap. Ashlyn perched herself on Maddox's lap. When Ashlyn looked at Isolde, the younger female gave her a crooked half grin and what would have been a wink if Ashlyn could see her other eye. Isolde could tell Ashlyn and Maddox both were so much happier and because of that, Violence was content and left her alone. As soon as Isolde was settled, leaning back against Reyes' chest, Lucien started the meeting.
"I have talked with Sabin and, as you know, I have decided to help him search for the box. It is time the damned thing was found. Isolde can only give us hints as to how to find it, but it is better than nothing. As long as it's out there, the demons are in danger of being sucked inside. Which means we're in danger of dying." Lucien said.
"Damn Hunters." Ashlyn said.
"Damn right." Isolde agreed.
"They're dead, killed by Disease. And Isolde." Reyes pointed out.
Isolde grinned, winced at the pain, but didn't stop grinning.
"You killed some of them. Not all. McIntosh was merely vice president of the Institute. I never actually met the president, not in all the years I worked there. I was told he never goes out in public. I hadn't thought about it before, but now it sounds suspicious to me. Besides that, there are a lot more employees, spread out all over the world. And maybe other Hunters who aren't even affiliated with the Institute." Ashlyn said.
"No maybe to it, Ashlyn. There are thousands, upon thousands of Hunters out there. You'd be surprised how many humans are willing to buy into that Lords-are-responsible-for-all-evil bit. It's a load of bullshit." Isolde remarked.
"We hoped the box was here in Budapest. The interrogation of a Hunter, at least, led us here. But..." Sabin trailed off.
"They have found no sign of it. And they would like our help." Lucien finished for him.
"If Isolde knows where it is, why not just tell us?" Paris asked.
"There are events in the future time line that have to happen for all of your sakes. I can't tell you. I can only give hints." Isolde replied.
"You want me to help search for that box, you're going to have to give me some direction." Reyes said.
"Watch your tone, Pain. You're bringing down morale. Isolde did say that I ultimately do find the box." Cameo remarked.
Isolde was the only one who didn't wince at the sound of the woman's voice, and she even gave Cameo a bright smile.
"How can her voice not affect you?" Paris asked Isolde.
"Live my childhood. That was misery. Compared to that and my mother, her voice is the sweetest sound I've ever heard." Isolde replied, matter-of-factly.
Isolde waved off anything Paris was about to say to that.
"Ashlyn has heard conflicting stories. Will you tell them?" Maddox said.
"One says the box is being guarded by Argus. The other says the box is hidden deep in the sea, guarded by Hydra, but I don't know where." Ashlyn said, the others groaning.
"Any ideas where we should start?" Lucien asked, turning to Isolde.
"One of those stories is half right. That's about all I can say at this moment. Ask me again in a few weeks." Isolde answered.
"Anya mentioned the surfacing of two temples. These temples were probably used by the gods and will not have been contaminated or picked over by humans. The moment they surface, some of us should search them. Perhaps we will find something to lead us to correct path." Maddox said.
A glance at Isolde got him a nod to show that he was correct.
"Excellent. Someone will have to stay here with Aeron and Torin and guard the fortress." Lucien said.
"Ashlyn and I will stay. We'll read tomes and texts." Maddox offered.
"And I'll listen for clues in town." Ashlyn added.
The two went off on their own little conversation then, Isolde rolling her one good eye at them. After a short chat about a black leather, sexy garment, the two left the room, laughing. Isolde ignored it and turned back to look at Lucien.
"I hope you aren't going to suggest I stay behind." she said tartly.
Lucien took one look at her and knew if he suggested it, at all, she would rip him to shreds. Or give him the same look she gave him last night, which would break his heart.
"Only if you're all healed by then." he told her.
"So you aren't going to lock me in my room with boards and nails?" she asked, a little snippily.
"Never again." Lucien replied.
"You're learning. Smart man. I just might let you keep your hands." she replied.
"Your anger is one I would gladly avoid." Lucien replied.
"If only others had been as clever as you."
"They would have lived?" Strider asked.
"Oh no...I don't usually make it that easy for people. They just would have had a quicker death."
With that Isolde turned to Reyes.
"Can you take me back to my room now? I have something I need to do." she said.
Reyes picked her up, carrying her from the room.
"Have fun." Isolde called over his shoulder.