~Chapter Ten~

The Price to Pay

The Chamber of Lost Souls was exactly what she expected. Dark, ominous, hot, and empty of all life. They walked past the large two oak doors, and inside, there sat a very large room, three times the size as the large gymnasium back at the Eyrie Building. Here- the lava rivers flowed and collected into large basins and pools. The air was hot and cold, all at the same time and whispered voices of the lost souls were all around them, but here they were contained.

Not only was this room where all of the lost souls were, but Draugr… hundreds of them, were in this place of fire. Loud clanging echoed loudly all over them as they made weapons of various kinds; iron weapons.

Rose's heart gave a lurch in horror. They were preparing for battle against Oberon, his Children and all of the Third Race; and iron was a weakness that affected them all.

Looking around, all of the Draugr, both male and females, looked up from their work at her with those horrible skull faces, and their empty sockets for eyes stared at her as she passed by. One Draugr continued to saw away at a blade, and his face-full of horrible pointy teeth widened at her, in what she supposed was a smile.

Shuddering, she quickened her steps closer to Hela. She wasn't sure how they were managing to stay in a well-lit and hot room, but as if Hela could see or hear her question, she suddenly explained, "They have a shield of their own, made by myself, to protect them from the heat as they work."

"They are creating weapons…" Rose summarized quietly. "Weapons made of… iron."

Hela nodded grimly. "War is coming, Rose, and there's nothing that can stop us now. Oberon has done nothing but bring it upon himself. For centuries… we have suffered under his rule… but no more shall we suffer." She then looked at her. "All because we now have you."

Rose stayed silent, continuing to follow Hela, Kevin and Demetrius through the long, hot war chamber. Further on, to their left there were sets of cages and dungeons- ones she was sure she would have stayed had she continued to fight Demetrius. She shivered at the thought of it and was thankful for her bedroom. Demetrius walked through another large set of doors, aggressively bursting them open with his magic and walked through them. Rose slowed down for a moment, taking courage in, but then looked behind her and jumped. The Draugr had stopped what they were doing and had followed behind her… most likely wanting to see this next step for themselves.

Quickening her steps to get away from their ice-cold hissing, she followed Hela through the doors and walked into a very large circular room. The ceiling was vaulted, close to thirty feet tall, and opened to the red sky above. Shelves of old books, potions and various liquids surrounded them on every angle, and in the center of a small set of stone steps, sat a very large, black cauldron.

Swirling purple and black smoke was steaming out of the large pot, and a hot fire was burning underneath it… boiling the contents within. Stirring the curse was a very tall and muscular, blue skinned female Gargoyle. Her wildly long blood red hair and golden headpiece was something Rose would recognize anywhere. Her long wings were secured around her shoulders, and she still wore two pieces of immodest rags for clothing.

The Gargoyle looked up at their arrival, and her dark eyes locked onto Rose's. Her face showed no expression. But rage flowed through Rose as she stared back at the evil-hearted Gargoyle that betrayed not only her, but Brooklyn and all of the rest of the Clan. Multiple times. She was the reason Kevin was alive… and another sorceress that was a help to this evil cause.

"How are things coming along here, Demona?" Demetrius asked her, stepping up the small set of steps.

"Very well." Demona replied, glancing at him briefly. "It's ready for the next step, whenever you are."

"I'm past ready."

Demetrius turned around, faced Rose, Hela and all of the Draugr, who were still clambering into the large room. With a blast of fiery power, he suddenly changed into the steel armored clothing he was wearing the first night she was brought here. His black and silver armor had sharp points coming out from his shoulder blades, elbows, and knees. His crown of fire and thorns were back and rested upon his head, like the Greek God, Hades, that she had read so much about in previous school years.

At this, a thunderous chant began from the Draugr, and their voices echoed in the chambers all around them. Hundreds upon hundreds of them were arriving now. All were crammed behind them, while others were flying and crawling their way in from the ceiling and securing themselves with their long, sharp claws onto the stone to still see. Their chants were like thunder, clapping against the walls, a war cry. Demetrius raised his black gloved hands up, and turned three-sixty degrees towards them all; encouraging their chants along.

His amber eyes were burning and his face was filled with hunger and rage. Rose's heart was pounding furiously as she looked around. Kevin had eased himself to the side of the room, against a shelf, and crossed his arms; moping from his reprimand. Hela was holding onto her arm, but still remained dressed in her black, shiny evening dress. In this moment, she never felt closer to death than she did now. Closing her eyes, she lowered her head and wrapped her arms around herself. Thinking of the one and only person who gave her strength and purpose.

Be with me, my love. She whispered to herself. Brooklyn… please… be with me.

Tears filled her eyes at the memory and thought of him. He was dead, and she was alone, but she prayed that as she walked, unwillingly into the rest of this night, that he would find a way to be with her. That he would be willing to help her pick up the pieces of herself when she shattered.

Demetrius continued to turn around with his hands raised up, encouraging the chanting of the Draugr. With each nod of his head, the chants grew louder and louder; stronger and icier from each excited gnash of their awful razor teeth.

Then- silence filled the chambers.

A deadly silence.

Demetrius put his hands down and the chanting stopped. Their voices echoed against the chambers, like ghosts, and even the lost souls quieted down. The only sound Rose could hear was the pounding of her heart in her head and her shallow breathing.

"For over two thousand years… we have waited for this moment." Demetrius said quietly, his whispered voice still reaching every single ear by how silent it had become. "We have been enslaved, judged, spat upon, and banished from our rightful place in Avalon, by my brother Oberon." He paused and the continued silence pulsed between everyone like a heartbeat. Even the bubbling of the curse seemed to quiet down. He then turned and faced Rose, whipped his hand out and held a staff. The same one he held when she was first brought to Hel. Uptop the staff, a bulb, like a crystal ball, sat swirling… waiting to be used.

Demetrius's eyes looked over the crowd of his undead army for a few seconds, then began his speech.

"For over two-thousand years… my Queen Hela and I have timed having a child together, despite our inability to actually conceive children. But… twenty three years ago… we used this cauldron of life to create an elixir of life potion… and nine months later… my Queen delivered a healthy baby girl into the mortal world. A child… whose blood contained the powerful lineage of both All-father Hel, and All-father Aesir. A child, who was born of a God of Death and a powerful Fae… both of whom are over the Underworlds. I let the cauldron go before any Third Race Child would notice that it was gone from Oberon's grasp. It ended up in the mortal world for a while, and was studied and kept in museums by the Humans. Now…it is back in our grasps, and the time has finally come again to use it's powerful purpose of creating life immortal… to bring about an everlasting death."

"Vääth!" (Yes) The Draugr all chanted in thunderous unison, making Rose jump and gasp out in fear. Hela stayed silent, but her eyes slowly glanced over at her from the side to watch her.

"My daughter, Rose," Demetrius continued more loudly, gearing up for the prime of his speech, "has returned home to us, after many aggravating weeks of trying and failing to bring her here. Her Gargoyle mate is no more! Her Clan has been defeated… and the asinine protectors of the night are out of the way!"

"Vääth!" The Draugr all screamed again, some continuing to celebrate and snarl their disapproval for Gargoyles. Demona crossed her hands over her chest and stared back at the sea of Draugr with an icy expression. Then, the Draugr started to stomp their bony clawed feet and hands against the stone floors and ceilings all around them; chanting their approval.

"The daughter of Hel is now ready and willing to give her blood to this curse!" Demetrius continued more loudly, over their chants. Yelling now. "In three night's time, during the blood lunar eclipse, the curse will finally be ready to be used! In three nights' time… Avalon and all of its blessed Children… will fall!" More screaming from the Draugr filled the chambers, their gnashing of their teeth and horrible howls were becoming deafening, but Demetrius's voice was still louder than theirs.

"My brother Oberon and his Queen, WILL DIE!" He roared, and again it was followed by an enormous eruption of roars from the Draugr. "In three nights' time... all of the Children of Avalon and all of the realms of this Earth will know of our pain as their own! Every realm shall tremble before our triumph, and then… all of the Children of the Third Race will choose to either follow us, OR CHOOSE DEATH!"

"VAATH!"

Rose could barely breathe now and could only stare at the Lord of Death in front of her with wide, horrified eyes and his burning eyes were on her. With a grit of his sharp teeth, he suddenly pulled out a sharp, jagged knife from his weapon belt and held it up for all to see. The Draugr screamed out their approval. He quickly took off a black glove, exposing his skin, and held the knife up to it.

"LET THE BLOOD CEREMONY… BEGIN!" Another roar from the hundreds upon hundreds of Draugr erupted, but then, like a slam of a drum, they all quieted down at once. Leaving an echoed silence again- right as Demetrius held his hand and knife over the boiling pot.

"With this sacrifice… I bring a new order to this world. I bring the re-birth of the Dark World!"

SLICE.

Rose quickly shut her eyes as he sliced the knife through his hand, but then forced herself to watch. He didn't slice off his hand, but black blood oozed from him and sank into the cauldron's liquid. It instantly hissed, spurted, and erupted in a light show that was impossible to look away from. Demetrius then turned to her and Hela, held out his good hand and beckoned her towards him.

"My Queen… come." For a moment she stayed still and acted almost as unwillingly to join him up there, as Rose was, but Hela righted her shoulders, stepped forward, took his hand and allowed him to help her up the steps. Now that she was alone, Rose wanted to make a run for it… but with all of the Draugr surrounding her, she didn't have a chance at escape. Demetrius pulled Hela close to him, forced her hand out over the cauldron, and held it in between his. He wrapped his bleeding hand around her waist, and kissed the nape of her neck as he brought the knife up to her hand.

"My love…" He muttered into her skin, and with closed eyes she allowed him to slice through her skin, unflinchingly. Rose gasped and flinched for her as she watched Hela bleed over the cauldron. Her blood was red and oozed down into the cauldron to offer her portion of it.

Behind Rose, the Draugr fretted at the sight of blood, but didn't move towards them. But Rose could feel their hunger for blood and it made her even more scared than she already was. Demetrius turned Hela around to face him, and with their hands still bleeding, he pulled her against him and kissed her on the lips passionately. He whispered something in her ear, kissed the side of her head, and then gently guided her to the side. He then raised the bloodied knife up, turned to face Rose, and held his hand out to her.

"Rose, my daughter… come. It's your turn now."

But she couldn't move. Not when the Draugr began their chanting once again, acting like a drum set to her sacrificial moment. He was just taking her blood… it wouldn't be as bad as she was thinking, but if she walked up there, then the whole world would die.

She had three nights to figure out a way out of this. She had to… if not…

"Rose. Come." Demetrius repeated, his tone becoming dangerous- but still she couldn't move. Her legs physically wouldn't connect with her brain to work. At her refusal, his fiery eyes burned dangerously. "Do not defy me… Get. Up. Here. Now." But still she couldn't move. Tears filled her eyes and her heart was pounding in her chest. If she didn't move, he would punish her horrendously… she had to move… she had no choice- but yet she still couldn't-

Just then, Kevin pushed off the wall, grabbed onto her wrists tightly and forced her up the steps. When she reached Demetrius's feet, he threw her onto her knees and she instantly collapsed. Still not able to feel her legs from shaking so badly. She warily and slowly raised her face to his, tears now rolling down her face. She was unable to prevent this moment, unable to fight for herself… and no one here was going to fight for her.

Not Demetrius, not Kevin, not even Hela…

She then looked over at Demona and silently begged her to help. She was a Gargoyle, though corrupted and fallen… there had to still be a part of her that was a protector of the innocent. Surely she would find it in herself to look beyond her Human exterior and see that she was begging to be helped. Rescued.

Tears streamed down her face, and Demona's dark eyes locked on hers once again.

Help me… Rose mouthed. Please… please… help me… But Demona showed her true colors, and lowered her eyes. Refusing to look at her now.

Alone. She was now officially alone.

No one was going to help her… this was her fate.

Demetrius slowly took a knee near her face, as the Draugr chanted all around them, and used a finger to raise her chin to look up at him.

"You'll see in time, my daughter, that tonight's sacrifice… was worth the temporary pain." He said quietly. He then used his thumb to wipe away a stream of tears from her face, grabbed onto her upper arm with his bleeding hand and forced her to stand. With her legs still unable to hold themselves up, he held her against him without effort, and brought her over the potion. She stared down into its boiling black and purple colors, with her heart pounding and head begging for mercy. He grabbed onto her right wrist, held it out over the liquid and raised the bloodied knife up. The chanting got louder and her heart was fit to burst in her chest with anticipation.

"Rose's sacrifice will be much larger than ours…thus more of her blood will be taken." He yelled above the chanting. "After her sacrifice… our daughter shall be re-born!"

Rose wanted to fight back, every part of her was spinning out of control, but she couldn't move against him. He then held her arm out and supported it with his hand, then placed the bloodied blade to her wrist. Her eyes widened in horror.

He's going to slice my wrist! She thought to herself in panic. The paramedic in her knew that if he nicked an artery, then she would bleed out and die. She stared at the knife, then whipped her face over to his; where his burning eyes travelled down to hers.

"I… I thought you weren't going to kill me." She whispered.

"Not your true Fae form, I won't." He breathed back. "But your human form… yes."

She opened her mouth to beg him to stop, but her lips trembled and a dry sob exited her lips instead. He held onto her tightly and then brought his lips to her ears.

"Elithidheemvii äth ahi neshethidh."

Gasping and sobbing in desperation, she knew that the language being spoken was the language of the Dark Elves, the language of the Draugr, but she didn't know what it meant.

"W-what?"

"I said… that your sacrifice will be our salvation." He whispered in her ear, before he closed his eyes and kissed the side of her head. "My daughter…" Pressing the knife blade to her skin, Rose couldn't watch anymore. She wasn't bothered by the sight of blood, but she was bothered by the shedding of her own. Especially when it was unwillingly and cruelly taken for an evil purpose. Trembling, she shut her eyes tightly and held onto his hand.

"P-please…" She begged him, but knew he wouldn't spare her as he pressed the blade harder into her skin. Opening her eyes now, she slowly looked up to the ceiling which had an opening towards the red sky. There, she thought of Brooklyn and forced her mind and soul to connect with his. The shield was still over her child and the part of her mind, which was protecting it, and allowed herself and her mind to fly far away from here.

"I love you Brooklyn." She breathed out, right as a pain unlike anything she's ever known sliced through her arm. Clenching her eyes shut, her high-pitched screams of pain and anguish echoed and reverberated throughout the chamber walls, and were sent out into the starless night.

Minutes or even hours could have passed by, and she was still screaming and twisting in Demetrius's arms to get out, to find relief from this pain, but his knife was still slicing into her wrist. Blood quickly exited her body, ran down her arm and dripped quickly into the liquid of the potion. The curse sputtered and hissed, taking her blood for it's evilly-made purpose, and bright purple and black lights streamed out of it.

A bright red light encompassed her entire body, with fire so hot and engulfing, it felt like she was in the middle of a fire and her skin was being melted off. Then- more pain came- but not from her wrist. Excruciating pain erupted in every limb, every cell, and every inch of her. She was sure that every bone in her body was being broken, and contorted. What was Demetrius doing to her? This didn't seem to be what Hela was explaining was going to happen.

She couldn't seem to scream loud enough, then two, foreign, heavy weights suddenly sat in between her shoulder blades.

She continued to scream at the top of her lungs, but Demetrius held her to him and didn't let her fall or get out of his grasp. She didn't know what he was doing to her, didn't know what was happening, or when this would end... but more slicing motion cut through her arm; and light from the cauldron erupted all around them. She was begging for relief, begging for this torture to cease and end… but the intense pain kept coming.

Then, the light faded, the pain faded slightly- leaving her to be extremely sore, as if she had worked out intensely, but the two weights in the middle of her back stayed.

When she opened her eyes, her vision swam violently, the eruption of the Draugr audience was muffled in her ears; but everything seemed sharper in every one of her senses. She slowly moved her eyes over to her wrist, which was profusely bleeding, but could feel that she was being drug away from the cauldron now. She had no idea if she was dead, or dying, so she raised her eyes back up to the ceiling and thought of Brooklyn. Her mate. Her love and one main reason to fight against this evil, the other was in her womb.

"Broo-klyn." She gasped out once more, trying to reach him, but then her world went quickly into a bliss state of pain-free unconsciousness.

"She did very well." A deep male voice said. "A lot better than I was expecting."

"Is this her true form then?" Another male voice asked. Sneering slightly.

"Yes, this is her true form."

Silence, then- "And what of the curse?"

"The last step has been completed." A female voice suddenly said, adding into the conversation. "I'll continue to monitor it for the next three nights, my Lord. But nothing else should be needed at this point."

"Very good, Demona. Thank you." The first male voice said. "I am relieved that it is over with."

"Please allow me to heal our daughter, my Lord." A separate female voice asked softly. "Her wound…"

"Let's see if she can find the powers within her to heal herself first. I want to see if she can do it-"

"But-"

"You worry too much, my darling Queen. She'll wake up from this… and when she does… she'll be more powerful than we've ever seen her. We must allow her the freedom to find those powers and unleash them."

Voices continued to flow in and out of Rose's subconscious, but she was stuck in unconsciousness. Until-

Pain. Dull, aching, and some sharp pain flowed through her, bringing her back to reality. Back to her nightmare.

No… she weakly begged herself. Don't wanna go… back… please…

"Ah, look…" The first male voice said. "She's already coming to."

Rose groaned, moved her fingers first, and then her toes. She opened and closed her eyes, only to find a bright light above her. Far too bright for her to be comfortable. She moved her head and neck around, finding that she could still move, and that she was still alive.

Groaning again, Rose opened her eyes and faced the bright light above her. She flinched, and the movement sent a shock of pain through her. Her back hurt, her head, every limb, and her wrist was pulsing with pain.

"My Lord… perhaps we should let her rest."

"Hmm… perhaps. She's earned her right to that, I suppose."

"Her wound though… it needs to be dressed at least. She'll bleed out during the night if she does not."

"Fine. Dress her wound, but do not heal it. I want to still see if she can do it herself."

Rose opened her eyes and found that images were blurry, but still a lot sharper than what she was used to. She moved her head to the side and saw a blurry image of what looked like Hela. She blinked and her vision focused a little bit, and she could see Hela's pale face and hazel eyes up close. She looked terrified for her, worried beyond words for her well-being.

"You're going to be alright, Rose." She whispered in her face while running a hand over her twinging wrist. Something warm and tightly wrapped around it, making her wince and cry out weakly, but after that, the pain left and her wrist was left with throbbing pain.

"She needs rest." Demetrius said, coming into her view. He knelt down next to her and wrapped an arm around Hela, then kissed her cheek. "She's beautiful, Hela. I never imagined what she would look like… but she's a spitting image of me… with your Fae body. Oh, Hela… she's perfect."

Fae body? Rose thought to herself. What in God's name was he talking about? But then it hit her. They were going to shed her human body for the Fae in her nightmares and visions. They didn't… they couldn't have…

Then she surveyed the weight and aching pain on her back.

Her heart jolted.

They didn't… no…

"I'll take her to her room." Kevin's voice suddenly said smoothly. "If you both are quite through with her, that is."

"Yes." Demetrius said softly. "Go ahead. It's close to midnight… but I would quite like to celebrate this accomplishment with you, my dear Hela."

Knowing what that meant, Rose wanted to grab her mother's hand and offer her comfort. But couldn't seem to move. Hela's face remained calm, and she slowly nodded, but Rose could almost feel the heartbreak. Then, as if her body connected with her mind finally, Rose's hand slowly inched towards Hela's and grazed a finger over the top of her knuckle. Letting her know that she wasn't alone- giving her comfort that no one cared to give her.

Hela gasped quietly, and her eyes were on Rose's.

"My Queen?" Demetrius asked, standing her up. "What's wrong?"

Hela continued to stare down at her, and her expression was shocked. She then looked up into Demetrius's eyes and snapped out of it. "N-nothing, my love. Let's go and celebrate… yes… that sounds nice."

"Perfect." He purred, pulled on her and then called over his shoulder to Kevin. "Make sure you remember my rules about Rose, Kevin."

"I will."

"Good, now take care of your betrothed, while I take care of my own Queen."

At this, Rose heard and felt their footsteps fade away from where she was lying, then a pair of strong arms lifted her up into the air and cradled her to his body. Knowing who it was, she wanted to fight him away, but still couldn't seem to move. He walked and carried her through this warm world, and strangely enough, something heavy was still attached to her back and was dragging on the floor. However, it wasn't like a piece of clothing or an object, but the sensation of it being dragged across the stone floor tingled all the way up into her back and body, like an exposed nerve.

The world went from hot and unbearable, to extremely cold, damp and dark, to cool but livable. She was still being carried, and when she continued to come to, she blinked and looked up. Kevin was holding her tightly to him, and wasn't looking at her. However, something was different… much different.

When she looked around, though her head was pounding, she could see more clearly now. Much more clearly. It almost hurt. It felt like a set of glasses were placed over her face, making the world around her much more vivid and sharp. From her sense of smell, touch, taste, to hearing, and sight… everything was ten times more clearer and exposed for her to explore.

She grit her teeth together, but then felt something different in her mouth. Her tongue slowly grazed over four sharp edged teeth that were where her canine teeth sat. She froze in his arms as she ran her tongue over them, over and over again. No, this wasn't right. Her teeth were normal, but then four sets of vampire-like teeth were in her mouth now.

Jolting in Kevin's arms, she gasped, sat up taller but he tightened his hold on her body.

"Easy, Rose. We are almost to your room."

"What… what in the hell happened to me?" She gasped, not wanting to believe what she was feeling and sensing from her body.

"You don't know?"

"No…" She replied dryly, gritting her teeth in anger. "Hence why I'm asking you."

Kevin smirked at her. "No need to become snippy with me. Not after I spared your bastard child from being revealed to your father."

"Perhaps not… but I do recall you running along that line fairly often."

"That's what you get for trying to murder me… again." He whispered dangerously. She growled at him, and to her surprise it was an actual growl that came out from her lips and chest. He grinned at her with his own fanged smile, but instead of lashing back out at him, she squirmed around in his arms.

"Put me down. Now."

"As you wish."

Using his available hand to open her bedroom door, he walked them through the magical shields past the door, and then dumped her onto the floor. Rose crashed onto her backside, crying out in pain, and shot a ferocious look at him in anger.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Hey… you said to put you down."

"Yeah, gently!" Rose snapped, rubbing her backside.

He shrugged. "You didn't say that."

"I didn't think common courtesy had to be asked…" she then paused and snorted, "oh, but right… look at who I'm talking to."

At this, Kevin chuckled and leaned against a wall of her bedroom. "I'd say that your new form matches the fire within you, Rose. You take fire-breathing bitch to a whole new level now."

Rose's heart sunk again and didn't dare look at herself in the mirror near where he stood.

"New form?" She asked quieter, and he nodded.

"Yup. It was quite the spectacle, but you probably weren't aware of it all because you were screaming your head off and passing out, right and left. When Demetrius took your blood for the curse, he and Hela took away your shapeshifted Human form. The curse is going to brew for three more nights, and we'll go to war with Avalon, and you are now the person that you were actually born as…"

Horror settled deeply inside of her, but she slowly forced herself to stand up. However, the instant she did, she swayed horribly and her vision went dizzy again. Falling against her bed, she grabbed onto her mattress and tried to hold herself up. She then eased herself to the ground, closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Everywhere still hurt a great deal. Her back ached with the newfound weight on her shoulder blades, but she didn't dare look at what it was. On her right wrist was a tightly bound bandage from where Demetrius sliced a knife into her skin, and it was starting to bleed through. It was obvious that she had lost a lot of blood, and if she didn't get it fixed or healed, then it could cause a plethora of potential issues.

Chuckling at her and watching her struggle to stay upright, he suddenly pushed himself off the wall and crossed the room. He then stooped down, helped her stand up, and pressed her body to his.

"Get away from me…"

"Nuh-uh-uh…" he whispered. "Remember our deal? You are to marry and be with me. So I suggest… you crawl on this bed and let me kiss and touch you..."

"You heard Demetrius!" She argued venomously, hating every inch of him. "You cannot hurt or rape me…"

"Who says that's what I'm trying to do? Maybe I just want a good 'ol fashion make out session..."

"Good luck getting one."

"Hmmm… sounds like a challenge to me." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She froze as he continued to kiss her modestly, but deeply. He pulled on her lips slightly and then broke away. "Demetrius didn't say that I couldn't kiss… or touch you…" He caressed a hand down her chest, and with rage boiling through her she grabbed his hand mid-exploration.

"I say that you can't kiss or touch me, Kevin. It's my body… I'm in charge."

"Oh really?" He mused, then reached up and touched something foreign that sat over her shoulders, making her gasp out in shock. "How can you dictate that when you don't even know your own body yet?" His fingers caressed over something soft and it sent instant tingles down her back and into her stomach. What he was doing was intimate. Something meant between mates… that much she knew.

"What are you doing?" She gasped, suddenly breathless, although she wasn't sure why.

"Exploring your new body, of course." He breathed against her neck, continuing to touch her before kissing and licking her skin. "Since you won't…"

"Get off of me!" She snapped again and pushed him away. He looked angry for a moment, but after taking a deep breath, he chuckled out a dark laugh.

"Fine… I'll give you this night to yourself. Tomorrow night… you're all mine to control and you can't do anything about it, babe." He then leaned forward towards her again, grabbed her waist, and brought her face inches from his, then touched that foreign spot again above her shoulders. "Hmmm… these are different… as are your eyes… but I think I'll get used to them. You are beautiful, Rose. God, there's no denying that. I cannot wait till I can bed with you again..."

Rose gritted her teeth at him.

"Get. Out."

"Suit yourself." He mused lightly. "I would also get your wound fixed sooner or later. I need a lap dance partner for tomorrow night. Kind of hard to get that from you if you bleed out."

"Oh, I'll be sure to do just that then." She snarled back, and he smirked.

"Good night, Rose… sweet dreams." He walked over to her door, went past the shields, then shut and locked her in her room and the shields instantly fused back together in one invisible wall of magic. Hating him, but feeling more drained than anything, she slowly got to her feet; breathing through the pain and dizziness she felt. She was relieved to be alone again, after this night of true hell, but she survived it. But now, she had to see what the damage was and what price she paid for this decision to play their game.

Taking a deep breath, she took a step and almost fell over again. The weight on her shoulders was new, and threw her normal balance off.

Have to see… I need to see what has been done to me…

Step by step, she walked towards the wall mirror across her bedroom, minding her long red dress as she went. When she got to the mirror, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. But nothing could have prepared her for what her reflection showed.

Opening her eyes, she stared into the mirror at herself. But it wasn't herself… not anymore.

Her body was the same height as before, about the same shape, but her skin was flawless… porcelain-like, just like Hela's was. Her chest was bustier, her hips more defined, but everywhere else was slim and skinny. Her long auburn red hair was the same, but everywhere else was different. Her teeth were white and fanged on her canines, like Demetrius' and Kevin's were, her ears were pointed like theirs, and her once hazel eyes were amber yellow. She was almost a direct physical resemblance of her father… but her body shape, lips, nose, and facial shape were like Hela's.

However, the most shocking thing to see was what was on her back. The weight she had been feeling and what Kevin was touching. There, on either side of her shoulders and attached to her back were two very large black avian wings, with dragon-like claws at the top. Hela mentioned she used to have wings, before they were cut off… and she obviously got them as part of being their daughter.

She was the Fae from the nightmare she had… the very same monster.

Horror and rage shot through her like a bullet. She didn't want to believe this… this wasn't real…

"No…" She gasped out, as tears filled her eyes. "No… no this can't be…!"

She didn't want to be this person… didn't want this nightmare to be true, but then it all hit her. The human form she grew up with, and what she was used to, was no more. The girl that grew up with Robert and Evelyn Connelly was gone, best friend to Emily… and the woman that Brooklyn first fell in love with was dead. That form was the last tie she had of Brooklyn and their memories together. Gone.

Never in this new body had Brooklyn ever touched or kissed her, never in this body had they shared a hug or made love to each other… she had no memory with him as this new being. Her stomach was still slightly protruded… telling her that she was still pregnant, but that was it. The Fae monster in the mirror was who she was now, and the girl she used to be was gone.

Hot, angry and grief-filled tears streamed down her face and her mind was racing. She was way more in tune with her magic in this body, and could feel the dark magic rising within her with her pain. Brooklyn was not only gone, but so was she.

And the grief hit her- one hundred fold- once again. Fire encompassed her as she began to sob helplessly.

"NO!" She screamed through her sobs. "NO, NO, NOOOO, NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

With a shriek of rage, she collided her fists with the mirror in front of her and smashed it to pieces. Then, she collapsed to the floor and sobbed uncontrollably. Every scream was for the pain in her soul, and every tear shed was for every moment between herself and her sweet mate... lost. Moments and memories… she could never again have with him.

Her old life was officially over.

Demetrius was right. She was still alive, but Rose Connelly was dead.