Enjoy! :)

Chapter Quote:
"I'd rather be forgotten, than remembered for giving in."
~Maggie Tigarian

Chapter 23

Nick

As said, Ash arrived with Zarek the next night. The Roman threw down his bag, not even greeting the rest of the group. We all followed him upstairs to Kiara's room where Kyrian was still comforting her. She'd only woken up about two hours ago but had been in a state of depression, a mixture of desperate sobbing and silent weeping. She repeatedly told Kyrian she wanted her kids back; he'd resorted to asking her what each one of them because for a little while, she would stop in her despair to describe each kid in detail. Kellan was the second oldest. He was to be the future king of her and her husband's kingdom. Kieran had been the jokester of the family, always bugging his sisters (and his brothers for that matter) with pranks. Kalen had been the quiet one, the one who would rather sit back and watch things unfold, to lend an ear to people. Karina had been the scholar. She read everything she could get her hands on. Then there were the twins; they could charm anyone without even trying. They could read people like a book, knowing exactly what they wanted to hear. But then Kyrian would ask her about Killian, and the dam of tears would break down. Something had happened with Killian which was part of the root of this whole problem. We just couldn't decide who he was, her first born or her husband. The latter means that something worse had happened to her son than any of her other kids which was hard to imagine when she couldn't even speak about what happened to the others, nor could Zarek. If it was the latter option, that meant there was the possibility her husband was alive and that we now had a name and that Kyrian might be out of the running for her affections. She'd been the first to ever stir something more than lust in him, and he didn't want to lose her.

"Kiara?!" Zarek exclaimed. He barely reached halfway across the room before Kiara was in his arms, having leapt out of Kyrian's arms to meet her friend. She threw her arms around his neck as he pulled her tightly against him, one arm wrapped around her back, the other cradling her head as she sobbed into the crook of his neck.

"Let's give them some space," Kyrian said stoically, getting up from the bed. I followed my boss out the door, making sure to shut the door on my way out. We headed into the living room where he proceeded to pick things up around the house, acting almost robotically.

"What can I do for you, boss?" I asked softly.

"Help Kiara and Zarek with whatever they need. I'm going out to go on patrol. I'll be back later."

"Don't get me wrong boss, but are you sure you're fit to go out right now? You've barely slept all week and when you're not with Kiara, you're thinking about her. Maybe you should take the night off. Let one of the other Dark Hunters fill in for you for one night."

"Nick, I'll be fine. Stay here. I'll call you if I'm in trouble." With that said, Kyrian stalked out the door. I heard his Lamborghini rev to life before I saw him tearing out of the driveway. Pulling out my cellphone, I texted Julian, not wanting to wake him up but also knowing he was the only one who could either knock some sense into my boss or keep him safe. Sure enough his response was immediate, saying he would go find Kyrian immediately. Knowing that, I rested a little easier.

"Nick? Get me some water and order three large cheese pizzas," Zarek said from the doorway. "Order whatever you like. It's on me."

"How's she doing?" I demanded as he turned around. "Have you found out who Killian is? Who her husband is?"

"I'm working on it. I have no memory of her husband either, but I know who Killian is. I know why she can barely speak about him."

"Why?"

"Later, kid. I need to get back to her."

Zarek

Kiara fell asleep around nine in the morning. I'd barely managed to stay awake with her. The next time I woke up it was eleven at night. I could hear Kyrian downstairs moving about, chatting quietly with Nick but although I could've listened in with my Dark Hunter hearing, I didn't want to bother. Glancing over at Kiara, I found her staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey, you okay?" I questioned, placing my hand on her arm.

"I need to tell him. It's the only thing that makes sense and I can't get that scream out of my head. I know my mind is really screwed up right now but I don't feel that this is something being made up."

"Then tell him. I'll be there to support you no matter what the outcome, but based on how he feels, I believe maybe this entire ordeal may be coming to a close soon."

"I'm looking forward to it if that is the case."

"I'll see you downstairs." I rolled out of bed, leaving her be. I found Kyrian and Nick in the kitchen eating a bowl of soup. Nick told me if I wanted any that there was more in the fridge. I helped myself to a massive portion because I was starving, having not eaten for over twelve hours.

"How's Kiara?" Kyrian asked.

"Hanging in there. She'll be down in a bit," I answered.

"Did she figure out who her husband is? Or who Killian is?"

"Killian is her son, but I'll let her explain that. She's able to talk now without completely breaking down."

"Thank you for coming to help her in the way that I couldn't."

I cocked my head. "A Greek thanking a Roman. That's a first."

"Kiara is Greek. She thanks you."

"She's excluded from this. She's not like the other Greeks."

"I might hate any and all Romans from our time but I'm not above saying thank you to one for helping her, especially one she knew from her previous life."

"You're welcome."

"Hey boss, I'm heading home if that's okay? I have some homework to get done before tomorrow," Nick said.

"Head on home. I'll call if I need anything," Kyrian replied. "Thanks Nick."

Once the squire had shut the door, I asked, "How bad?"

"What do you mean?" the Dark Hunter responded gruffly.

"You know exactly what I mean. Our kind don't fall in love easily, let alone stay for a woman you've only known a few months. How badly have you fallen in love with her?" My comrade stayed silent, staring broodingly into the flames that flickered in the fireplace. I sighed. "Usually I'm not one for this romance stuff, nor am I one to get involved in other people's business-"

"Then why are you getting involved in mine?" he snapped.

"Because Kiara is my business, and you're involved with her, ergo, I'm involved in any of your business that concerns her."

"I don't want you in my business, especially if it's with her. I know you're her bodyguard and all, but not only can she take care of herself, she could kick our asses to the moon and back with her hands and feet bound and blindfolded."

"Don't test me, Greek."

"You hit me, you'll feel the pain ten times worse."

"You think that scares me? After what I've been through?" I scoffed.

"We've all been through shit, Zarek. You're not the only one who has been beaten up or-"

Something inside of me snapped. I lunged at Kyrian, grabbing him by his shirt and slamming him into the wall. Pain ripped through my back and head but I'd been through worse, so much worse, that it didn't even faze me.

"You have no idea what I've been through," I growled. "I watched my goddaughters and godsons, my friends and family, be brutally beaten and tortured. I will not repeat what they did to my goddaughters but let me put it this way: I was glad when Kiara's brother finally had them killed because that was more merciful than them being given their freedom. When I was done watching that, I was tortured to the brink of death, but they'd always stop so I wouldn't die. They'd nurse me back to health. You know why? So they could beat me senseless all over again. I have been through more pain than you could ever imagine, and Kiara was the only one who helped me in my life. Sure the others around her cared for me, but they never would've done what she had. That girl has a heart of a gold and for a moment, I thought you might actually be worthy of her, but now I choose to believe otherwise."

"You don't deserve her either," Kyrian snarled.

"Damn right I don't, but unlike you, I know that." I let him go and backed up, waiting for the Dark Hunter to attack me. To my surprise however, he didn't.

"You deserve her more than I do."

"What?"

"You know her. You two have history. And you can't tell me you didn't feel something for her before you two became what you are now."

"She was married. It wasn't right."

"She's not married now. What's holding you back?"

"I love her, but not in the way that I thought I did, nor in the way she deserves. Besides, she has a husband and I can't compete with him once she finds him."

"How do you know?"

"Because the things they went through, the things they defeated and conquered, all in the name of getting back to one another, no one can compete with that. The only person I've seen have a shot against her husband, whoever he may be, is you."

"Me? Why me though? I'm just a Dark Hunter who let her stay over one night because she needed a place."

"I don't know, do I look like a mind reader to you?"

"Hey," Kiara's voice floated from the doorway, interrupting our conversation.

"How are you doing?" Kyrian inquired instantly.

"I don't know… can we talk?"

There was a tic in Kyrian's jaw and I couldn't help but blame him; you didn't have to be mortal to know that those three words were something no one wanted to hear in a relationship (even if their relationship was complicated). If I didn't know what she wanted to talk to him about already, I would've assumed she was breaking off whatever they had together.

"I'll leave you two alone," I said. I walked out of the living room, heading upstairs to the room Kiara was crashing in since that's where I'd been staying since I'd gotten here. However, that didn't mean I wasn't going to listen in. I needed to know so I could prepare myself in case things went bad. Kiara had had enough heartbreak recently. If Kyrian rejected the idea as well, then I feared for her sanity.

"First of all, I'm so sorry about this past week. Thank you for dealing with me," Kiara said softly.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I don't know what happened when I kissed that tattoo on your neck but it triggered whatever it was that happened to you. I'm just glad I was there for you when it happened and that you weren't alone."

"Thank you for being there for me."

"I'll always be there for you, prinkípissa mou."

"Your princess, huh?" There was a slight cockiness in Kiara's tone; I could imagine the smallest of smirks on her face in that particular moment.

"Until you find your husband that is. Then you're his. Is it Killian?"

"No. Killian isn't my husband. That was my eldest son. He was kidnapped by Valerius's grandfather who had Valerius raise him. My son, not knowing who we were, killed my husband- his father- with a spear to the heart."

"Now I know why you wanted to kill Valerius," he remarked.

"Yeah, me too… but it was my brother who got the Romans to Athens in the first place when I went to visit with my husband and children. He's the reason my family was slaughtered like animals. But I got my revenge. That tattoo on the back of my neck is where a sword went through my throat when I told my brother I'd get my revenge on him. I won't go into what I did to him. But I'd just lost everyone, and in that moment, I'd just lost my husband to my eldest son who had hardly any memory of me."

"So you remember your husband?"

"Bits and pieces. I don't have a clear face yet but I believe I know enough to know who he is."

"Do you know him now?"

"Yes."

"Do you need help searching for him?"

Kiara hesitated. "No. I'm talking to him."

There was silence between the two of them. I waited for Kyrian to say something in response but he must've been too stunned to answer.

"Say something," Kiara prompted, a twinge of desperation in her voice.

"No," he said.

"No as in you're not going to say something, or no as in you don't believe me?"

"No as in I don't believe you."

"… What?"

"I love you, I do. The gods know I do. But I'm not- I'm not your husband from your previous life, Kiara."

"Why not?"

"Because I have no memory of it!" he exclaimed. "You have no face to go along with your memories of your husband and I don't know, maybe you're trying to hide your guilt for your feelings for me by saying I'm your husband, but if that was really the case, then I should have at least some memory of us by now."

"I may not have a face but it was your name I screamed out when a spear went through my husband's left shoulder. You can't tell me it's a coincidence that your Dark Hunter mark is in the same exact place as my husband's," Kiara defended.

"I can and I will. Like I said, you feel guilty loving me when you know your husband is alive that your mind is putting me as your husband in your memories to help make that guilt go away. I would've loved to be your husband, but I'm not. I never have been."

"I'm not putting you into my memories because I feel guilty for loving you while my husband is still out and about," Kiara snapped angrily. "I'm a lot of things at the moment, but I'm not delusional."

"I didn't say you were."

"You're implying it by saying what you are."

"Because it's insane! It's not possible! It's-"

"We live in a world where people with no souls hunt the supernatural, immortals hunt down other immortals who could bring the end of the world, people that turn into animals, animals that turn into people, demons, ghosts, and last but not least, gods. And you're telling me that it's impossible for us to have been married in our past life?"

"Yes! Because Zarek, Valerius, they have memories of you just from being around you. I have nothing! Absolutely nothing! And we've shared a lot more intimate times together than you have with either of them so explain that to me."

"I can't! I don't know how this wall thing works because it didn't just affect me. It affected anyone who knew me who became immortal as well. Why won't you trust me on this?"

"Because it's not possible. That's insane. You're insane if you think I'm your husband."

"I think it's time for me to go," Kiara said stoically. I chose that moment to head to the living room. I passed my friend on the stairs. She simply told me she was going to pack and that she was leaving as soon as possible. I continued on my way. Upon arriving in the living room, I found Kyrian bracing himself against the fireplace.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Cut through the bullshit. I know you listened in on everything that was being said," he retorted.

"Why won't you believe her?"

"You heard me. And if you're siding with her, then you know what I think."

"I do."

"Then you've made your choice, I know you have, and it's with her. So there's the door." Kyrian jabbed his finger at the front entrance with a look of pure anger. He turned on his heel and left the room. I heard the door to the garage open, followed by his Lamborghini revving to life. He tore out of his driveway.

"Zarek, let's go," Kiara ordered. "I don't want to be in this house any longer."

"Coming," I said. I followed her out of the house, wondering how on earth the two of them were ever going to reconcile.

She finally told him! What did y'all think? Let me know in the comments :)