Chapter 16 -Change

Snow reached out to Charming as the force of the energy wave traveled through the city. Only the death of a god in a mortal's body created an energy wave like that. "Odr we are too late." She gasped as the pain of it filled her chest.

"It can't be. The danger is gone." He told her as he pulled her into a comforting embrace.

"Can't it?" Loki emerged from the shadows of the nearest ally. "I do believe your daughter is dead." He said smugly.

"What have you done to her?" She exploded pulling herself from Charming's arms. She materialized a sword into her grasp. "Why are you always so cruel?"

"My dear, dear Frejya. If I can't have my happiness then none of you can." Loki chided, steel infused his voice that wasn't normal for the trickster.

The wind started to whip their clothes and hair around with the force of it. "What have you done?!" She shouted over it.

The windows rattled with the force of the hurricane strength winds, but he only had eyes for Emma. She was so still. "The blood isn't doing anything." He moaned his eyes looking up to find Ash. "Why isn't it working?"

"It will. Give it time." Ash assured him but his eyes were focused on the gathering storm outside the windows.

"You are creating a God Killer. Do you even know what you are doing?" August cautioned, he to kept looking towards the windows.

"Do you have a problem with God Killers?" Ash asked with false calm. The restless way his tattoo moved along his arm and up to his collarbone belied his indifference.

August stood up straight and shook his head no as he backed into the wall behind him. "What is happening to her?" August cried out in shock his eyes now back on Emma.

Killian held her closer to him as he watched her skin start to swirl into blue and green. Black claws grew from her fingers and her lips went form the soft pink to a dark and deep purple. He was riveted on her change. Two small black horns appeared just in her hairline. And her hair went from blonde to black in the span of a few seconds. Then she drew in a deep gasping breath. She was coming back to life. Her eyes opened and they were the same swirling color of her skin. "Emma?" He whispered.

She took in the men in the room, all of it more vibrant than she ever remembered. Her tongue brushed against her teeth as she started to speak, but whatever she had started to voice halted the moment the tip of her tongue found a sharpened canine tooth. It ached with a foreign need. She brought her hand up to touch the tooth and froze as she saw her swirling skin. "What-?" Her voice rasped out.

"Emma I can explain." Killian rasped out. Elated at her still being alive. Relief coursed through him and if only he could explain he knew she would understand. He couldn't lose her too. He had no other choice.

"Explain?" Her strange gaze found his.

"Killian, be cautious in how you tell her." Ash told him breaking his silence. He observed the pair a twinge of regret mingled with the happiness for his friend. What was done was done.

"Tell me what?" She pulled away from his arms and stood up. "What happened to me? Why do I feel so different? What is wrong with my skin?" She fired the questions at them as her gaze flitted between the three men.

Killian could feel the agitation coming off of Emma in waves. Swallowing hard he took a step towards her and held out his hand. "Please sit. You've been through a lot."

"Uh. No. Tell me what is happening. Why can I see so many vivid colors that were never there before?"

"You died." Killian finally said. "You were a demi god and your death would have changed the world. You were meant to be Chthonian, they are an ancient race of God Killers. They keep the balance between good and evil. You are like Ash."

Her eyes flew to Ash. She did feel a sort of kinship to him but he did not have swirling skin like her. She rejected the idea with a shake of her head. "No. That isn't possible. I'm not a demi god or a god killer. I am- was human. What did you do to me?" Emma looked back to Killian for an answer.

"I saved you."

"You think this is saving me? My skin is a different color. I will never be able to go out in public again unless I put on a ton of foundation. I feel different. I have this hunger deep inside of me. I- I feel like I need something."

"Emma-" Ash sensed the need to defuse the situation. "What he says is true. I can explain what you are feeling. I've been through it. You will be able to change back into a mortal skin if you choose. You just need to calm down. Take a deep breath."

"If we are alike how come I didn't know?"

This time August spoke up, "I was told to bring you to Earth when you were a baby. It was to protect you. At least that is what I was told. But I think my father knew more than he told me. I don't think he wanted you to become what you are now."

Her brow shot up, "your father?"

"Loki." He swallowed.

Oh god, she had slept with her brother's father. How messed up was that? Why her brain got stuck on that out of everything she wasn't sure, it was just the easiest thing to focus on.

"Emma, you need to sit down." Killian reached for her again and she slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me. You made me into this monster. I didn't choose this."

Pain filled Killian's eyes but she didn't care. Anger filled her. And in an instant she was somewhere else. From one blink of her eye to the next she had moved from one place to the next. Ash appeared next to her. His calm presence spread into her.

"This is my home. It can be yours too, for as long as you'd like." He spread his hands wide taking in the expanse of lakes and islands before them. "This is the Atlantean pantheon, or what is left of it." He quirked up one side of his mouth.

"Am I Atlantean?" She croaked.

"No. But you are welcome to come and go as though you were."

"What am I?"

"I assume you mean what pantheon do you come from."

"Yes."

"Your parents are the Norse goddess Frejya and god Odr. Years ago before your birth there was a prophecy that you would be a destroyer of the pantheon, but that prophecy was kept from your parents, instead they were told by Loki that you would die if you stayed with them. He tricked them into letting you go. They sent his son to watch over you. Despite their past with Loki they choose to trust him. That trust was misplaced."

"My parents are still alive?" She asked. She had imagined a thousand times what it would be like to have her parents wanting to be her parents. At his silent nod she continued, "Why do I feel like I do?"

"Killian saved you with his blood. He changed you. With that change you will be dependent on him for your survival and sanity for the rest of your immortal life."

"Immortal?" She caught on the single word. She would be dependent on Killian for survival. Had he known that when he did it?

"He knew." Ash echoed her thoughts. "I told him. He loves you."

"I need time to process all of this." She told him. She couldn't see Killian, not right now.

After Loki had vanished Snow followed the burst of power that was released from her daughter's death. She would avenge her daughter. The person that did this would die. Slow and painfully, she silently promised.

"Frejya wait. Snow—" Charming called from behind her as she pushed through the crowds. She didn't slow.

Coming to a large building she looked up at the windows that had burst from the top floor. That was where her daughter had died. In a flash she was in the room. August, Loki's son, backed up into the wall as soon as they appeared. And a man she didn't recognize, a man with a hook, and covered in blood stood fearlessly in front of them.

"What have you done to my daughter!" Snow exploded. The sword was back in her hand and she swung it at the stranger. His quick reflex's had his hook catching the sword and swinging it from her grip.

"I didn't do anything to her." He growled.

"The blood on your clothes tells a different story." Charming responded.

"That it does, mate, but not the one you have in your head."

"What have you done with her body?" Snow demanded.

"He didn't do anything. He saved her. She is a God Killer." August finally spoke up. He continued even with the angry stares of them both being directed at him.

"I will only ask one last time, where is my daughter?" Snow ground out.

"I don't know. She disappeared." Killian responded, tears in his eyes.

A/N ~ Not beta'd all errors are completely mine. So sorry for the lack of updates I've been really into writing my original story for the last month or so. I'm about half way through it and it is good. I can't wait to put it on Amazon. ^.^ But enough about that, I just wanted to give some sort of update. I know it is short, but more is to come. Hope you enjoyed it!