Chapter 6 : He loves me, he loves me not…
Warning: This chapter might be a bit teenaged, it has just taken a dark turn. Hope you read it and enjoy. Reviews and critics are welcomed!
Her wings start to fold as the city of Detroit emerged from the clouds. The sound of blaring cars , streaks of neon lights of signboards and the chatting of civilians who were walking on the streets. The familiarity seemed to flood back to her, noises the voices, the shops. Things hadn't changed one bit of this little city.
The evening was young and the sun was just going down, Shayera carefully descend to the part of the neighborhood John lived. Soon, John's apartment came into view and she stooped down behind in an alley.
She wore that big brown coat of hers , perfectly concealing her ash colored wings as she looked up towards the window of John's apartment. Her eyes caught dim light shining through his window pane and she bit her lip.
Her palms were getting sweaty and she wiped them upon her big coat .She wondered if it was a good time to talk to him. Things hadn't been easy right from the invasion. All the denial , the tension and the anger all bottled up deep inside both of their souls. It was partly her fault for avoiding him ever since her coming back to the league.
The months of crying and nightmares have to go. The pain has to go.
It has all come down to this, they had to have that talk.
How am I going to do this?
Her head was screaming at her and she slammed her fist against the alley wall .
Come on… you have rehearsed this a dozen times in front of a god damn mirror.
She looked up towards the sunset , its light casting a warm glow of light onto her.
Shayera wasn't here to start a fight, no, that was far from what she had come for. She came to congratulate him and offer a token of appreciation. She wanted to assure him that she will be fine for the rest of her life and she wanted him to be happy.
She wanted to tell John how much she loved him .
It must end, this crazy love triangle the three of them are caught in. But she just had to know from him if this was really what he wanted. If so, then they can finally break free and may there be no regrets. She can offer him her blessings, maybe she'll feel better in a few years or so. She can say her goodbye.
If you love someone, then you will be happy that he finds happiness too. No matter how it may cost us…
She smiled, the quote of Flash's grandma echoing in her head. She held the gift in her hand tightly, and knew that whatever she was doing, it was going to be the right one.
It was now or never.
The doors of the elevator slide open in a whoosh and Shayera stepped out of it.
John's apartment was just a few steps away, before knocking she drew in a deep breath, clutching the gift tightly in her hands.
Knock. Knock.
"John?" she called out. Maybe he isn't home , but I'm sure I saw some lights.
She knocked again. Only the door clicked and open with a creak sound. It was unlocked he whole time.
"John?"
Guards up, she stepped into the dim room , which was only lit by John's nightstand , casting the room in shadows. Only one of the shadows spoke to her.
" John's not back yet, Shayera…" said a feminine voice. The shadow stood and the light illuminated her shapely figure , her face still in the shadows as she motioned Shayera to come in.
" Come in Shayera, I won't bite …"
Shayera swallowed a gulp whilst taking in the fact that John wasn't in, but instead Mari was here. She was probably the last person she would like to talk to before John.
" Mari , I better go , I hope I didn't-"
" Come in Shayera, I insist."Mari cut in. Her voice was firmer and fiercer this time, insisting that Shayera to step into the apartment . She started to walk towards Shayera who was standing by the door. " And close the door"
Closing the door, Shayera clutching the gift in her hand, stepped into the apartment. Her hands were itching to find the light switch but stopped when she saw Mari coming towards her.
She regretted stepping into the apartment that instant.
Mari was wearing satin baby doll lingerie, her African necklace being the only jewellry . The loose-fitting skirt falling in length was trimmed with lace and thin green spaghetti straps . Made of sheer , translucent fabric it fully exposes the woman's legs, and deliberately expose her cleavage as well. It was green, John's favorite color.
She looked at Mari speechless and ashamed at herself for intruding at this moment.
Mari was looking gorgeous and sexy. Clearly she was going to celebrate with John with some romantic bonding time together by wearing that. Seeing that also brought much pain , was this why John had chose her over herself , because she didn't give him enough of that? Because she wasn't as beautiful as Mari?
She stood there head lowered, silently hurting in the dark silence. This was a bad idea…
" What do you have in your hands, Shayera?" spoke Mari breaking the silence. Shayera noticed that she was wearing a fragrant and make-up as well. One hand was on her hip and she pointed at the item in her hands.
Shayera , realizing that the gift was still in her hands felt more confident as she realizes her purpose coming here once more.
Smiling she handed Mari the gift which she took from her and examining the wrapping.
" Wally told me that bit about Earth customs," Shayera whispered , feeling much more relaxed as she looked at the gift that Mari was holding. "He told me that people always buy presents for those who are getting married."
Mari herself was striding towards the centre of the apartment, while Shayera tags along behind her explaining her gift to her.
Mari tore open the gift paper impatiently and looked at the item in her hand.
It was a white sculpture of an angel. The angel had wings folded behind her and her long wavy hair which trailed down her merciful face. Her long gown concealed most of her except her strong hands. Both her hands were clasped and placed on her chest , as she looks hopefully upon its owner.
" I found it in a gift shop in Central City. I read once that, angels were a symbol of protection and love. I hope you like it, though it's not much " whispered Shayera. She loved the angel the minute she set eyes on it and bought it in hopes to bless Mari's and John's wedding.
Mari smiled at Shayera and she looked at the angel in her hands.
"Oh Shayera, I …" she paused looking at her , smiling all the way but suddenly vanished and was replaced with a stern glare.
" Hate it ."
The angel drop to the floor, a sickening sound of porcelain breaking rang out the apartment and the pieces spread everywhere.
Shayera watched in horror at the remains of the angel and was shocked speechless by Mari's actions. A hard slap brought her crumbling to the wooden floors and the pieces cut her legs.
" What are you doing here Shayera Hol, pretending to be an angel that ascended from the sky?"
Her words were venomous and stung her like the shards in her legs.
And then she kicked her repeatedly.
Shayera took hold of her leg and brought Mari tumbling down as well. She stood up and bolted towards the door. She didn't know what happened to Mari and she wasn't determined to stay and take a beating from her.
" Not so fast , you little harpy "
Her talons dug deep into the flesh of her shoulders and Shayera cried out in agony. This was followed by the second talon slashing into her thick coat , tearing it apart. Her wings spread out from the torn coat as Mari pinned her against the door.
" I thought u came to offer your blessings Shayera…" Her smile was like a Cheshire cat's and Shayera was the prey. As quick as lightning, took the opportunity to grab Shayera's right wing and tossed her towards the kitchen.
As momentum brought her backwards, she slide off the kitchen counter and crashed into the kitchen cabinets. Her back hit the wooden cupboards and pain shot right through her wings. The resulting clash shook the cabinets , bringing down countless plates which came crashing to the wooden floor.
She cracked her eyes open just in time to see Vixen touching her totem , summoning a cheetah.
Shayera placed one hand on the counter whist the other was holding her bleeding shoulder, cut deep with the talons of a leopard . She looked at Mari , who was already prepared to pounce on her and finished her off, like a cheetah and a hawk in battle.
" Mari … stop, we can talk this over." She said through clenched teeth, a fight was the last resort. If she was ready to pounce , she will be ready. She brought her guards up and tightened her bloody fists.
" You filthy treacherous hawk, what are you doing here anyway, dirtying John's apartment with your presence here"
She was now crawling up the counter tops, moving gracefully and dangerously like a cheetah indeed.
" Mari… I just came to offer my blessings," Shayera argued stepping away from the kitchen and backwards to the main space. " Why are you doing this?"
" Why? I should have done this a long time ago…. Everybody should have…"
Shayera look at her hurt and angered. " And what's that?"
Vixen mimics out the claws of a cheetah and said menacingly : " Kill, Shayera Hol"
She pounds on Shayera, bringing her down with her . As she pins her under , she holds up her talons preparing to slit open her throat, Shayera wraps her legs around her neck and slam her head into the wooden boards.
There begins a series of hand-to-hand combatant , one from years of military training and one able to summon any animal just by touch. She manages to knock Vixen a couple times down , but it wasn't enough. That woman was like an insane cat that wasn't willing to let go.
Shayera chose to play defense and only put in a few attacks when possible. She didn't know what has gotten into Mari, willing to kill her simply out of the hatred and deadly grudges. Vixen was getting more and more angered by the moment and each punch was a hit to the bone.
All the while, she was boiling up inside, Mari was throwing in a lot of ugly words which resurface inner demons of self-hatred and doubts.
" Did you really think he loved you Shayera?" hissed Vixen, swiping away at Shayera with her talons, managing to cut her left cheek and blocking the blow she sent.
She grabbed Shayera's shoulders and twists it , pinning her against the apartment wall.
" He never did Shayera. You're a traitor , a low-life scum pretending that this world still needs you when everyone hates you!"
A blow sends her backwards and Shayera pulled free. She did a mean right hook, sending Mari once again sprawling on the floor. Shayera looks at her bewildered that she would say such a thing.
Nothing but the moonlight now lit this room, the light from the nightstand smashed from their previous encounter . The couch was torn up , with cottons everywhere. The kitchen looks like hell, knives tossed by Mari some stuck to the wall and on the floor. The bookshelves had fallen and John's bed was a wreck.
Mari's faced was bruised and her hands bloodied from hurting Shayera, her lingerie torn and stained with shades of red. She sat up in the floor with the porcelain pieces beside her and coughed out splutters of blood.
" What's the matter harpy, too broken to hear the ugly truth?" she taunted , looking at Shayera with the maddest eyes she had ever seen before.
Shayera on the other hand was a mess. Mari managed to get a knife through one of her wings and even cracked a rib. Her shoulder was bleeding non-stop and her internal organs was crying out in pain from all the assault. She stood there by the window, looking at Mari who seemed please with herself , for all that she has done.
" He never loved you Shayera, he never did. Ever since the day you lied to him you know he doesn't trust you no more…"
Shayera silent all the while spoke up : " You're lying!"
Mari, smiled through bloodied teeth and let out a sinister laugh. One Shayera thought she knew but doesn't anymore.
" Oh am I? We are getting married soon in a couple of months. He chose me over you Shayera, me over you! But why wouldn't he…? I'm a supermodel , dozens of men want me and people love me! But you… , just look at you! You're a worthless whore, cheating on him and breaking his trust!"
Shayera felt herself tearing up and feeling vulnerable just like she always had ever since the invasion.
" You violated the league's trust, his trust! You betrayed us, and even betrayed your own filthy kind! You're a filthy traitor , a liar and a whore .You're a monster Shayera, and he'll never forgive you for what you did. He'll never love you Shayera, he will never ever love you ever again!"
" SHUT UP " she screamed, streams of hot tears flow down her bloodied faced.
" He does love me, I know he does… He told me he never lied about that!"
At that moment , both women heard the elevator ding and made a whoosh sound.
" Mari?" yelled John, as he made his way towards the door.
Mari looks at Shayera, a hint of evil in her eyes as she held up a knife next to her and waved it in the air.
" Well let's see who he loves more, me or you?"
Saying that, she drew the knife deep into her abdomen as she collapsed to the floor. Blood started flowing and staining that green satin lingerie of hers.
Shayera shocked by the whole scenario could only watch as she bleeds out and John made it to the scene.
" MARI!" he yelled, picking up Mari who had already put on a show on her face. The knife was still in her stomach and blood was oozing out.
He looked at Shayera through teary eyes , still not believing she would do such a horrid thing.
" She… she tried to kill me" said Mari pointing a blood drench finger at Shayera.
Shayera was already shaken up and angered at the same time, tears threaten to fall again for being blame for something she didn't do.
" John," she whimpered. " I didn't do it ,you have to trust me!"
John was already putting two and two together. All the rumors of her going to lengths to eliminate anything that stood in their path of being together. He thought that she was better than this, until today. Now Mari was bleeding out in their apartment and she was wearing something supposedly to celebrate their night together. Shayera must have confronted her . She was doing it all over again , hurting him and taking away all that he had loved.
"Shayera… why did you do this?" asked John in a low tone. She knew that tone. The tone of his he used on the very same day she ruined their relationship.
" John , I didn't-"
" Don't bother denying it! Are you happy now? To hurt me once more by going through Mari?"He yelled.
" I DIDN'T DO IT!" she screamed, hurt that John would think of her in such a way. " You know me, you know me enough to know that I wouldn't do this…"
John , angered that she was denying the truth fall silent, his hand pressing against Mari's wound to prevent it from further blood flow.
" You're right . I know you enough to know what you're capable of Shayera. Ever since the day we've met you have done nothing but lie. I should never have trusted you and let you into my life. My mistake. Go back to your filthy kind Shayera, and stay away from Mari. Or else, I'll have to put you down." His words bare nothing but venom, and it cut through her very soul.
The Thanagarian warrior felt something crack and it hurt more than anything else she was having now.
Without saying a word she breaks open the glass window. She looks at John and then Mari. A triumphant smile painted on her lips. She had won , and John was now hers.
Shayera jumped out the window and despite her wings protest flew away from the man whom she once loved, and lost.
Author's notes: This is one of my favorite chapters I enjoyed writing. I wanted to capture the tension between Mari and Shayera. And how John is the only one capable of breaking Shayera because he is the only one that believes in her. Also, I'm sorry for the coarse use of language, I really wanted readers to feel how Shayera was treated throughout her life ever since her betrayal. How it will lead to something much more deadlier later on…