Love and War

Solomon

I stepped out of my sleek black car, the city lights reflecting off its polished surface. The evening air was cool, carrying the faint scent of rain. Adjusting my coat, the fabric smooth and tailored perfectly to my frame, I made my way towards the entrance of my private condos.

The building stood tall and imposing, a testament to modern architecture with its glass façade and minimalist design. The doorman greeted with a respectful nod, opening the door to the luxurious lobby. I acknowledged him with a brief smile, but my mind already drifting to the sanctuary awaiting above.

Taking the private elevator to the top floor, the soft hum of the machinery a familiar comfort. As the doors slid open, I stepped into the penthouse, the space exuding an air of understated elegance. The open-plan living area was bathed in the warm glow of ambient lighting, the cityscape visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. A sight I would love Konella to see.

But it was the rooftop that truly held his heart. I ascended the spiral staircase, each step bringing me closer to my own personal haven. The door to the rooftop garden opened with a gentle push, revealing a breathtaking sight.

The large skylight overhead allowed the moonlight to pour in, casting a silvery sheen over the lush tropical foliage. The garden was a verdant paradise, filled with vibrant flowers, towering palms, and exotic plants. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and orchids, mingling with the earthy aroma of damp soil. Everything specially brought here by his hands.

I walked along the stone path, my footsteps soft against the moss-covered ground. Paused by a small koi pond, watching the fish glide gracefully beneath the water's surface. Every stone placed with heavy heart thinking Konella was gone from this world. Even the gentle sound of a waterfall provided a soothing backdrop, blending harmoniously with the distant hum of the city below. Stilling my heart countless times.

The sound of the elevator brought my attention back, and I looked over my shoulder to see the decorative doors open to Amshel coming through. My heart stopped when I saw a familiar figure behind him though.

Diva.

"Brother Amshel, you failed to inform me that she wakes." Keeping my heartrate steady, hoping to fool him long enough to get out of this unscathed, cold sweat began to trickle the back of my neck.

"How odd that you wouldn't have noticed," his voice reverberated in his chest. Low and deep. Those crisp blue eyes narrowed at me as though trying to see through my mind. I could still feel his lashes on my arms from his claws. A punishment for disappearing without informing him of my whereabouts.

"Brother Amshel, if we can talk privately—" I was grabbed onto by the shoulder in less than a heartbeat. Diva had taken hold of me, her eyes illuminated like electric fire as she grimaced. Nostrils flaring.

"You smell of another!" She snapped. Her nails biting through the fabric, hearing the seams tear at her strength one would not find in such a small-framed girl. But the monster beneath that skin was nothing but a predator. One I used to call my Queen. Now I only feel resentment and spite towards her.

"What do you mean by that my dear," Amshel walked closer, unfazed by Diva taking hold of me outright. "Smell of whom?"
Her eyes never left mine, and I could see my reflection behind that stare, revealing how enraged I was and my own eyes red as blood.

"He smells of another," she repeated. Fingers tightened at my jacket as she threw me across the garden, I didn't catch myself and hit a tree that shattered to bits upon impact. "How dare you betray me." Her voice low, intimidating, releasing every predatory aura she could emit as she walked towards me for another strike. Amshel stood back, watching with curiosity and pondering what Diva meant.

But I knew.
She can smell Konella on me. Thinking I had more time before she awakened from her slumber, I was wrong. "Diva, this tree was quite rare." A sarcastic remark, hoping to delay her rage.

Nothing stopped her.
She came at me again, taking hold of my jacket once more before I shirked it off and opened my wings to be above her.

"You smell of her." She hissed. "The one I got rid of."
The confirmation of her words weighed heavily on my heart. My body vibrated with fury, only now I was releasing my chiropteran arm-blade to fight her.

"Why do you smell of her! I killed her!" She screamed like a petulant child. Her long raven black hair a mess as she threw a fit and broke the foliage and trees around her. All I could do was watch her do it. All sound disappeared and narrowed only on her as I felt my fury boil over, and the scenery turn red. I raised my arm, ready to strike her down before Amshel came to her aid and released his chiropteran arms in defense. His icy stare asking why I would dare raise my hand to Diva, she answered.

"Amshel, why does she live!?" She smacked his back. Asking him as though he knew of Konella being alive. Only thing that surprised me was the fact he turned to Diva with a questionable gaze before turning back to me.

"Konella?" He aimed the question to me. "She can't be alive…that child was disposed of." Saying it so matter-of-factly to my very face, the whole garden could have been set ablaze and I would think it a blizzard.

He knew the truth.

"Solomon, does she speak true?" He shifted his stance, ready to fight if needed. Diva kept up her insistent whining and hitting Amshel on the back, but he was only focused on me. "Does Konella live?"

My mind raced, torn between the urge to fight and the need to answer. The confirmation of Konella's fate weighed heavily on my heart, and the rage simmering within me threatened to boil over. I could feel my chiropteran arm-blade itching to strike, but I forced myself to stay grounded.

Amshel's icy stare bore into me, demanding the truth. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to maintain control. The memory of Konella, her warmth, her strength, flashed before my eyes. She had been everything to me, and now, knowing that Amshel and Diva had a hand in her demise, my fury was almost unbearable.

But I couldn't let my emotions dictate my actions. Not yet.

"Solomon, answer me," Amshel pressed, his voice low and commanding.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The urge to lash out was overwhelming, but I knew that acting on impulse could be disastrous. I had to think, to strategize. Konella's survival depended on it.

"Does Konella live?" Amshel's question hung in the air, heavy with implication.

My mind was a battlefield. On one side, the desire for vengeance, to make them pay for what they had done. On the other, the need for caution, to protect Konella and ensure her safety. I could feel the weight of my decision pressing down on me, the stakes higher than ever.

I looked at Diva, her eyes wild with fury, and then back at Amshel, his gaze cold and calculating. They were both waiting, expecting an answer. My throat tightened, the words caught somewhere between my heart and my mind.

"Yes," I finally said, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Konella lives."

The admission felt like a release, but it also brought a new wave of tension. Amshel's eyes narrowed, and Diva's rage intensified. I braced myself for their reaction, my muscles tensing, ready to defend myself if necessary.

"Why?" Diva screamed, her voice piercing the air. "Why does she live?"

Amshel stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Solomon, you have much to explain."
Diva's eyes blazed with fury, her body trembling with barely contained rage. "You will explain now!" She demanded, her voice echoing through the garden. She lunged at me, her claws extended, but Amshel caught her arm, holding her back.

"Diva, control yourself," Amshel said, his voice calm but firm. "We need answers, not chaos."

She snarled, her eyes never leaving mine. "He betrayed us, Amshel. He betrayed me!"

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. "I did what I had to do to protect her. Konella is alive because she deserves to be. She is not a threat to you, Diva."

"Not a threat?" Diva's laugh was cold and bitter. "She is a Queen, Solomon. She is a threat to everything I am."

Amshel's grip on Diva tightened, his eyes locked on mine. "Solomon, if what you say is true, then we must proceed with caution. Diva's instincts are not wrong. A Queen cannot coexist with another."

I felt my anger rising again, but I pushed it down. "Konella is not like you, Diva. She does not seek power or domination. She only wants to live in peace."

Diva's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer. "Peace? There is no peace for our kind. Only survival."

Amshel released Diva's arm, stepping closer to me. "Solomon, you must understand the gravity of this situation. If Konella lives, it changes everything. We cannot ignore this."

I met his gaze, my resolve unwavering. "I understand, Amshel. But I will not let you harm her. She is under my protection. My everything."

Diva's rage flared again, but Amshel held up a hand, silencing her. "Very well, Solomon. We will discuss this further. But know this: if Konella poses any threat, we will act accordingly."

I nodded, my heart heavy with the weight of the situation. "I understand."

But I won't.

This interaction was all I needed to make my decision, and I stretched my wings out and stayed in the air.

"I don't answer to you any longer." Amshel flinched, shocked by my conviction. "Here and now, I don't answer to you either, Diva."

She didn't appreciate that one bit. She snarled, eyes blazing with fury as she reached for something to throw at me. I didn't wait for her to do what she desired and took one last look at the beautiful Eden I had created and silently said goodbye.

With one final glance at the garden, I made my decision. I would leave this place, leave behind the life I had built, and be with Konella. I never got the chance to protect her before, but now, I would not fail. My desire to keep her safe, to be with her, drove me forward.

I looked up at the glass ceiling, prepared to make an exit of a lifetime as I closed my eyes and felt my wings pulse stronger upward. Shattering the glass roof, feeling the shards scrape my skin and fall like rain down towards Amshel and Diva, the last glance I took of them and would probably haunt me for the rest of my years alive.

Amshel transforming and Diva ordering him to kill me.