The mirror's reflection shocked Kearney to an extreme. Her eyes were dull and glassy and taking on a look that was bordering drunken bloodshot. Dark circles covered the areas below her eyes, and the rest of her skin was looking paler and thinner than usual. Her hair, usually beautiful and brushed, was unkempt and thrown into a sloppy bun. She was so drained, so exhausted. When exactly had been her last full night's sleep?
Marquette had been gone two weeks now. The Dead were so worried about her that they all came out form their natural domains to set up "base" at Celeste's mansion. It was frightening to see Nafetki and Akhet in the same room together. Somehow, they seemed more like high school drama queens than great goddesses. Scarier even was Aestroth. Kearney had heard of him, but had not ever met him. Something about him was off, like he was mentally unstable. Worse still, they couldn't find her!
The Sons were also stumped. They had searched Nefandus, with great personal risk, and couldn't find her. Even Catty, reluctantly, went with Kyle. If that seemed bad, Berto and Evan teamed up. It was like seeing Nafetki and Celeste, times ten, of course.
And now, with one week until her birthday, sleep seemed more of a stranger. Aidrian believed he could protect her, but she knew he couldn't. Kearney wanted to believe it so much it really hurt, but she knew she needed to focus on the reality of the situation. She wasn't sure of what went on during her increasing blackouts, but whatever was being instructed to her, she would never resist. Fate had pulled a cruel joke on her, making her both a Daughter of the Moon at birth and the Atrox's energy booster.
She reached out, her fingertips touching the mirror. The shadows gathered along the surface, turning it smoky and distorting her image. This was a sign. Was Selene sending it?
I'm going to be swallowed by the shadows that serve me, she thought bitterly.
She turned to the footsteps behind her. Evan's haunted eyes approached. She had asked him to come over whenever he could, even if it was to tell him there was nothing. She was so worried about him. They all were. Without Marquette…
"Still no news?" Her voice choked. It was bad for everyone without Marquette. She was so damned special.
"No…" Evan's body slumped back against the wall tiredly. He probably got as much sleep these nights as her.
Her eyes flickered to the carpet on her floor. She couldn't bear to see someone so vibrant and energized like this. "I'm so sorry, Evan. This is all my fault."
"Yeah, it is," he easily replied, because truly, he did believe this mess was her fault.
His words still shocked her, even if she said them herself. She was hoping that he would comfort her and say it wasn't. That it was Marquette's rash and unpredictable nature that got her into the mess she was in.
"Kearney, look, you need to embrace who you are." He looked behind her. "I have to go." And as silently and quick as he had come, Evan slipped off and left.
Aidrian rested a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her at him, her face screwed up in apparent agony. Evan's words cut her deeply. She understood that he was hurting badly, but that didn't mean he could just attack her!
"Hon, it's okay. Evan's upset. He's missing Marquette," Aidrian murmured in her ear soothingly.
"Like I'm not!" She exclaimed shrilly.
He held her close to him. "I know you are, but it's different for him. That's his mate. He loves her."
"But she cheats on him!" She huffed angrily. So what if Marquette and Evan loved each other? "She's always with Berto."
"And I'm always with you. You don't think that hurts her? You don't think she feels even the smallest bit of anger towards us for that?"
"She has a mate!"
Kearney felt so frustrated. She flopped down on her bed with force, rage rushing through her. Aidrian sighed, knowing she didn't fully understand the ways of the Shadowed Ones, and sat beside, taking her clammy hand into his. She struggled at first, but finally let it be.
"I don't know what to do anymore, Kearney. I've tried, but I continue to get mixed signals form you," he whispered in his loving voice.
"What is it that you want?" She cried out in her frustration.
"I want you to be happy. I love you. I just don't know if we're working." He looked over at her rage-filled face. It was a deep shade of red, and her eyes, dull earlier, now sparkled with a kind of malice that was only reserved for the one you loved.
And then she stilled. Had he just said he loved her? The red drained and her eyes softened. Reaching over, she cupped his cheek. She sat up, kissing him softly.
"I'm just so scared, Aidrian. We have a week before my sixteenth birthday."
He kissed her cheek, her neck, her hand. She brought his lips back to hers, kissing him with such desperation that Aidrian had to pull away. Her eyes begged him, but he kept a distance from her.
"Kearney, don't use me for a way to escape," Aidrian warned coolly. "I don't deserve that."
xXxXxXxXx
Kearney pecked at her food slowly.
"How come you're not eating, Kearney? You're not sick, are you?" Her grandfather's critical eyes swept over her.
"Oh, George, leave her alone. She's probably just anxious for her sweet sixteen," her grandmother laughed and scolded.
Kearney grunted. She forced the food into her mouth, chewing mechanically. Who could honestly think about eating when her best friend and sister was gone, her father had sold her out, her dead boyfriend was mad at her, and she would help cause the world to be plunged into darkness? Then again, there was really no need to worry them, too.
"Grandma, are you mom's mom, or Dad's mom?" She finally asked the question she had wanted to ask now for seven months.
"Oh, baby, we're not your parents' biological parents. See, we met your parents right before John was born. We helped them out a lot during those times, and they just sort of adopted us," her grandmother explained.
"They were so young. Too young to be having children. I remember when I told them that, they look at each other and shared a private smile. Your father turned back to me and said, 'We're older than we look.' I had to agree. They were very mature for such young ages," her grandfather added.
Kearney wore a grim smile. Didn't they know just how evil her father truly was?
"Alexander was something special," her grandmother mused. "He was such a great charmer. He could charm his way into world domination if he wanted to."
Kearney scooted away from the table. "I'm going up to my room. Thanks," she mumbled.
xXxXxXxXx
Kearney marked off another day on the calendar hanging on her bedroom wall. Three more days until her birthday. Three more days until the ceremony. The time was getting closer, and her feelings became so mixed. She was both frightened and excited.
She stood before the mirror again. Her appearance had become worse. She was beginning to look sick, starved, dead. No sleep. She was never hungry. And when exactly did she last wash her hair? Her father had written that she'd be going through changes. What kind of changes?
She grabbed her coat, heading out into the fading day. Earlier, the girls had asked her to come out dancing, but she had felt tired and angry. How could they dance so close to her birthday? Now, as she stood outside, the fatigue felt earlier washed over her again. She wavered dizzily, and her breathing became unbalanced and shallow. There was no way she'd be able to walk to Marquette's house. She glanced around the barren neighborhood, and then disappeared into the shadows.
xXxXxXxXx
Evan opened the door, Kearney's unconscious body slumped on the front porch. Sighing to himself, he picked her up with slight indifference, and took her into the living room. Akhet looked up, her somewhat black eyes softening at the red head's form. Evan placed her slowly onto the couch.
"She doesn't look good, Akhet," Evan said.
Akhet stood, walking easily, the jewels on her skirt catching the light, reflecting a rainbow of colors onto the white walls. She looked down at Kearney, brushing her hand softly along the girl's icy cheek.
"She feels so…dead. Oh, Lord Anubis, what game have you and the Moon Queen been playing?" Akhet cried.
"The game between Selene and I has been out of our control the moment Maris confronted the Inner Circle," a darkly rich voice replied, its sound booming and quiet all at once.
Akhet and Evan turned swiftly, bowing before their lord. Anubis nodded his head, the black fur on his face and ears sleek, catching the lights of the room. His arms, dark and human-like, extended into clawed hands. Across his muscular chest was an ankh, similar to the ones his children wore. Clothing wise, all her wore was a very simple gold-trimmed white linen kilt. A furred tail rested against his dark, human legs, its movements steady and unnoticed.
"So, who has been holding the reigns?" Ezraziel stepped forward from the shadows. His bottomless eyes connected with his lord's rich brown ones. He and his mate were the only two brave enough to look the death god straight into his eyes.
"Selene's own hand-picked enemy."
"So, she's leaving her own Daughters to the wolves?" Akhet asked, dismayed. She loved Marquette and Kearney like her own.
Selene's bright blue eyes glared out at Akhet, while the rest of her white face remained serene. Her white hair flowed around her as if there was a light breeze playing in the room. "Anubis, your children have dark tongues."
"The reason why they're gods of death," Anubis retorted.
Selene sat beside Kearney, watching her in silence. Finally, she said, "You won't find Marquette."
"You know where she's at?" Evan's eyes brightened considerably.
"She's trapped in Alexander's memories as we speak. We can't save her. Yet," she added slowly, noticing the reactions of all who were conscious in the room.
Anubis closed his eyes, growling. He had no patience with this goddess. "How do we free her?"
"We wait." Selene looked at Anubis, regret in her eyes. They did not agree, nor did they or would they get along, but she knew he held the same regrets as her. Even the gods made cruel mistakes for their own egos. "We wait until Kearney's birthday."
"What happens then?" Akhet asked.
"Only the Fates know that."
xXxXxXxXx
Kearney groaned, her body freezing, her head pounding. She opened her eyes slowly. The surroundings were dark and hazy, blinding. She cried out, frightened of the dark suddenly.
"Sh…" Someone pet her hair down. "You're okay now."
"A-Aidrian?" She worked hard to focus her eyes on him.
He smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, it's me, baby." His soft smile turned into a grin as he gave a mini bow. "You've been asleep for awhile, Princess. Not even my kisses would wake you."
Her eyes widened. "How long?"
"Happy birthday…"
She squeezed her eyes shut. A growl formed in the base of her throat, expressing her deep frustration. The Atrox would be calling her soon.
"We found Marq."
"Where is she?" She asked excitedly, looking around her.
"Trapped in your father's memories."
Kearney wrapped her arms around Aidrian's neck. She leaned her body into his, breathing in his scent. "I'm still at Marquette's?"
"Yeah." He smoothed back her stray, greasy, knotty hair. His face washed over with a serious look. "I was scared. Asheru said you were going to die."
"You were scared?" She chuckled.
"That's not fair, making fun of the dead guy."
She kissed him, then mumbled," We're getting Shadow back."
Three more chapters until this book is completed!
