Chapter Thirteen

I woke up to warmth and purring.

For a second, I couldn't remember what had happened last night. But I forced my eyes open, welcoming the sunshine for once. I used to wake up with a hangover and the sunlight pissed me off, burned my eyes and intensified a headache. I woke up nauseous and grumpy.

But not this morning. I woke up feeling warm, woke up to find Dorean still cuddled against me on the floor of the kitchen. He was making little purring sounds in the back of his throat as he slept, tail coiled around my leg and his wings folded up behind him. I couldn't remember the last time I woke up feeling so comfortable.

Until a cold tingle shot down my spine and I clenched my teeth, mentally cursing whoever had ruined my moment of peace. Irritation boiled in my blood until Dorean shifted beside me, yawning so his fangs glinted in the sunlight before he stretched an arm up in the air, his tail uncoiling from around me and stretching out, wings also spreading open.

"Morning." I stated. Dorean's eyes flickered open before he smiled cheerfully and snuggled closer to me, clinging to my arm.

"Morning," He greeted, then paused as he shifted a little, then propped himself up on an elbow to look around with a scowl, "Forgot to move to the bed. No wonder why my bones hurt." I smiled a little at that before getting up, scooping him up into my arms and making him gasp in surprise, then a grin split his face.

"I actually have to go to work," I told him, watching him pout as I made my way to my bedroom, "But you can sleep here. I'll be back as soon as I'm done, I promise." Dorean nodded, then laughed in delight when I dropped him on the bed. I went to shower quickly, then came into the bed room. Dorean's tail whipped around excitedly, wings fluttering as he laid on his stomach, pulling the blankets over himself and resting his chin on his folded arms to watch me.

"Hurry," He said, wrinkling his nose, "I want to spend the day with you. I wanna talk." I dried myself off, walking over to the dresser while giving him a weird look over my shoulder.

"We've talked a lot before."

"Yes, but I want to talk about you."

"About me? What'd you mean?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"Favorite color?"

"Yes. I like silver. Is very sparkly and bright. What about you?" Dorean pressed, rolling onto his side as he watched me open a drawer to take out a black sleeveless turtleneck. I paused thoughtfully before pulling the shirt over my head. What a weird question to ask. I'd never particularly thought about a favorite color. I looked around my room for a moment, noticing most everything I owned was either black or red. So, I suppose subconsciously, my favorite color, or rather colors, would be those.

"Red and black." I answered. Dorean smiled, almost like he knew what was going on in my head and while it bothered me when other people looked at me like that, it sent a thrill through me when Dorean did it. It was like he knew me, even without me having to say much.

"And why those?" He asked. I shrugged, taking out a pair of black leather pants, ignoring the insistent cold tingle that shot through my spine almost like electricity.

"I dunno. Black's not really a color, but if we got into specifics, that'd take forever. I just like that it's neutral. Red? Because it reminds me of summer." I replied, drying off my hair a little longer. Dorean nodded, then snuggled up to one of my pillows, breathing against it deeply before his cheeks pinkened and he peeked over the pillow at me. The gesture made my heart throb and cock jump to attention. How nice it was to have a naked lover in your bed, watching you like you were the only thing that mattered in all of existence.

"What about animals? What kind of animals does Xenon like? I like kitties. They so soft and cute and even when they bite, they don't hurt so much. And they have little claws. You remind me of a kitty, big kitty, but a kitty." He said. I almost laughed at that. A cat? Yeah, maybe a panther, but I had difficulties comparing myself to a cat. Yet, at the same time, I still felt the warmth of his compliment go through me, drowning out the signal that was racing up and down my spine.

"I'm not sure," I admitted, "I suppose a phoneix would make the most sense."

"How come?"

"I'm the Atlantean god of rebirth. Nothing portrays rebirth better than a phoenix. Once they reach time of death, they burn up and turn to ashes. From those ashes, a new phoenix is born. And the cycle continues... And their feathers are really soft." I confessed, making Dorean giggle. I had had a phoenix back during the days of Atlantis. I could spend hours just petting their feathers. Velvety soft and like silk. Their feathers ranged in colors, from red to orange to yellow, sometimes an exotic mixture of all three, and then when they died, their burst into flames before their ashes crumbled to the floor and then a tiny phoenix emerged from inside, bright feathers coated in ash before they shook it off and fluttered back to its perch as if nothing had ever happened.

They were amazing and beautiful creatures, native to the lands of Atlantis. And my heart ached that I would probably never see one again. They were probably near to extinction and anyone who owned one now would be very unlikely to give it up.

A harsh bolt of ice shot up my spine and I hissed past clenched teeth, almost collapsing to one knee. Dorean was out of bed in an instant, right beside me and helping me stand.

"What happen?" He asked, alarmed. I shook my head, steadying myself on my own, breathing hard.

"Sorry, Dorean. Someone's summoning me. I have to go. I'll be back as soon as possible so we can talk more, okay?" I asked. Dorean's expression softened and he nodded, standing on his toes and kissing me on the cheek... then smacking me on the butt with a grin. I felt heat rising to my face and just returned his kiss quickly before the black smoke coiled around me and teleported me away from home. One of the hardest things I'd ever had to do.

I teleported to a familiar black adorned office with a flaming onyx fireplace that cast eerie shadows around a dark room. I frowned, looking away from the fire place to see Sept leaning on his desk, biting the end of his thumb until he saw me appear and straightened.

"Xenon." He stated. He didn't need to say more than that. I could see what the problem was. Aria hadn't been killed, but rather, put out of commission. She was in a coma.

"Isn't a coma good enough?" I asked dryly. Sept glared at me, clenching his fists at his sides. Somehow, he managed to make angry look demonic. Something about those dark eyes ringed heavily with kohl... and his skull adorned boots that looked like something Cerberus may have purchased for him.

"No," Sept said past clenched teeth, "Theo's relaxed, sure, but he still won't go anywhere near her. He's watching his back. That's not what I wanted. I wanted him to be able to strut arrogantly down his own hallways again instead of peering around every corner like he's waiting to be attacked."

"She's in a coma, what can she do?"

"She could wake up, and hurt him-- again. I can't take that risk. I need her dead."

"And Theo doesn't want her dead."

"Theo doesn't understand." Sept returned stiffly. But I could see the discomfort in his eyes. Sept was only trying to help Theo. I could see that as clear as day. Even more now that I understood his dilemma on a more personal level. If anyone threatened Dorean's existence, I would hammer them down in an instant. Even if it was Adrian, which I doubted, but that wasn't the point. Point is that Theo's misplaced affection for his mother was going to get him killed. He didn't know Aria was trying to kill him. He just thought she was abusing him out of fun, but she was really trying to find the right way to take him down and take his throne.

And Hades may be blinded by his own issues, but I was not. I could practically hear Dorean telling me not to let Theo get hurt. Dorean didn't like Aria. I remembered how upset he was when he saw that she'd returned on the news. I remembered watching the broadcast with him, watching Aria proclaim her return and Theo in the background, eyes downcast and expression stricken, like he couldn't think of anything worse than having her near him.

He was reverting back to his childhood.

And I couldn't believe I was saying this, but I wanted the obnoxious terrorizing Theo back, not the one that hid under his bed.

"All right," I said at last, irritated, "I'll consult a friend of mine." Sept relaxed at that.

"Thank you." He stated. I inclined my head, then vanished from Theo's palace to the other side of Styx in the fancy apartment complex, just outside Akin's penthouse. I could already hear him screaming at me to get the fuck out, but I had nowhere else to go and I trusted no one else, but Hannibal to assist me. I knocked on the door and waited a moment before it opened and as soon as Akin saw me, his eyes widened and he went to slam the door shut on me, but I caught it with my foot and yelped.

"Ouch! Jesus Christ! You're strong for a mortal!" I exclaimed in pain, catching the door with my hand, trying to open it back up, but Akin fought with all his might to close it, crushing my foot even more.

"Get out," Akin ordered angrily, "You're not getting Hannibal!"

"I just need him for an hour!"

"Last time you brought him back, his skull was almost cracked open, so no!"

"Akin, if you don't let me in, I'll teleport in."

"Joke's on you, asshole, I have a barrier on my house!"

"Then I'll break your door down and we both know I can do that with ease." I threatened. Akin glared at me like he wanted to crush my head in the door instead of my foot before he finally opened the door and I almost fell inside on my face. I caught myself on the door frame and staggered in, limping on the foot he'd almost broken in the door. He slammed the door shut behind me, raking me with a sneer.

"Hannibal isn't going anywhere. He's got enough scars on him from people dragging him into horrible messes. He doesn't need you taking him anywhere else." He snapped. I ignored him, walking further into the living room and Akin ran around to stand in front of me, throwing his arms out to the side so I couldn't go in any further.

"He's kinda tied up right now," Akin added smugly, "So you can't take him."

"Then untie him. Aria is still scaring Theo shitless. We need to finish the job. Theo's life is on the line. Aria plans to kill him, and knowing how intent she is on doing so, she'll bust out of that coma like it's nothing and go right for his throat." I explained sternly. Akin glared at me for the longest time, then lowered his arms. He gave me the middle finger before he went up to the loft. I rolled my eyes, leaning on the sofa to put the weight off my foot.

Trust me, I don't want to be here either. Not with what's waiting for me at home. My heart ached just thinking about Dorean all alone at home. I hated this job. No, it was more like a curse. I wanted to go back to Dorean and spend all day and all night with him. He'd be safer that way too. I considered putting a barrier up around the house, but then Dorean wouldn't be able to invite Adrian over. Barriers weren't picky. They made sure to keep everyone out, except the creator of the barrier. Even Dorean was trapped and I hated doing that to him, but if meant keeping him safe, I'd have to.

A few minutes later, Akin was coming down the stairs, quite angrily, and scowling. Hannibal was right behind him, his black hair brushed over one shoulder. He wore a black long-sleeved V-neck with and black jeans. Quite tame compared to his last outfit.

"Hannibal." I greeted. He nodded to me.

"Akin says you need my help again?" He asked. I nodded grimly.

"We need to finish the job. Aria's only in a coma, but Sept says she could snap out of it any day and he doesn't want to take the risk. Her goal since the beginning has been to kill Theo. The reason why she's been taking her time is because she wants to torment him. But now that she knows someone is out to get her, she's going to skip foreplay and go straight for the kill." I explained. Hannibal frowned at that and Akin's scowl faltered.

"And... What about Hades doesn't he know?"

"He doesn't care," I said dryly, "I'm sure someone's told him by now, but he's too busy fretting over his new kid to care about the old one. We're Theo's only hope." Akin grimaced, rubbing at the back of his neck stressfully now and Hannibal's expression became stoic.

"Then we'll finish the job," He responded monotonously, and when Akin's head snapped to look at him in concerned bewilderment, Hannibal met his stare, "Aria is in a coma. She won't be a threat to us. We'll go to her room and slip something into her IV. It'll be quick and painless and people will simply think she subjected to her injuries." Akin still didn't look excited about the idea and chewed on his thumb in debate. Hannibal glanced at me and I frowned, then he went to Akin and hugged him. Akin looked a little startled, then relaxed as Hannibal rested his head on Akin's shoulder. He said something I couldn't hear into Akin's ear and Akin chewed at his bottom lip before murmuring something back, putting his arms around Hannibal and holding him tightly.

I felt a little uncomfortable by the display of affection, but it didn't last much longer as Hannibal stepped from Akin, who touched his cheek.

"Please try not to get hurt this time, Hannibal."

"Yes, sir."

"And come straight home, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy," Akin stated, then sighed wistfully, "Okay. Just... Please hurry up and get this over with. I hate staying here and freaking out the entire time." Hannibal smiled faintly and gave Akin a kiss before he turned to me. I touched his shoulder and we teleported from the penthouse in Styx to Theo's palace, in the middle of the throne room, which was thankfully empty.

"You don't know where her room is?" Hannibal asked me dryly. I scowled.

"I don't make it a hobby to visit her often. Let me seek her out." I added, then sent out my powers in search of her life source. Meanwhile, Hannibal scanning the inside of the throne room with a frown, almost like he was reliving an experience. I started to send a curious thread of power toward Hannibal, only to have him throw a wall up in my face and almost hit me. He gave me a blank stare.

"Find Aria, not my conscious."

"Maybe if you didn't look so nostalgic, I wouldn't be curious."

"It wasn't nostalgia," Hannibal answered dryly, then paused to scan the room over again, his frown deepening, "It's the creeps this place gives me. I can pick up on Theo's emotions. I'm surprised you can't. They're suffocating." I frowned at that and paused. After a moment, I understood what Hannibal felt. Theo's agony and fear were pungent in the air. It was like a thick smoke in the air and it constricted my lungs. Every so often, the deeper I sank into the emotions flooding the room, I could hear a little boy scream and wail, sobbing and little feet running away and a door slamming shut followed by a chilling silence. I shuddered and shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"That was creepy." I muttered, sending my powers out further in search of Aria. Hannibal nodded, scanning the place again warily.

"It's never felt like this before. It's because his mother's returned and with her all the darkness she'd instilled inside him."

"She's not a mother. She's the Christian definition of a demon."

"Most parents are." Hannibal said stoically. I glanced at him, but he was looking in the opposite direction. I personally couldn't comprehend having a cruel parent. Theo's mother viciously tormented him for years, and while he screamed for help at night when she was cutting him and slapping him, Hades ignored him and went about his daily business-- whatever that entailed. Hannibal, too, dealt with the abuse of his parents. His biological mother cursed him with full-blown immortality. His father threw him to the wolves, those wolves being his own brothers, and his step-mother humiliated him and spat on him. Even now from their cells in Tartarus, I knew their presence bothered him.

My father had never done such things to me, or my siblings. He'd cradled us in his arms as infants and given us lavish temples adorned in golds and expensive silks and prestine marble. He gave us unimaginable power and worshippers. He gave us anything we asked for. Oh sure, we'd piss him off from time to time and he'd probably blast us or turn us into a pig for a week as punishment, but he never took advantage of our childhood. Even when we were children, my father could never bring himself to strike us. No, even worse, he'd give us the cold shoulder until we apologized. It was only when we reached adulthood that he did the animal for a week thing or zap us in the butts if we misbehaved. Even then, that was only if we offended him. Should we hurt each other, he paid it no mind and passed it off as siblings just being siblings.

Maybe it would have been better had he punished us.

Maybe then Callias wouldn't have felt the need to take matters into his own hands.

A spark of life caught my attention and shattered my thoughts.

"Found her." I stated. Hannibal nodded. We headed down the hallway, moving quickly, but quietly so as to avoid being seen. We made our way down two more hallways before we found Aria's room. It was incredibly huge and adorned with golds, reds, and blacks. There was a giant portrait of herself hanging over the huge canopy bed in which she rested. She was hooked up to several machines, her chest bound by bandages rising and falling as she rasped into an oxygen mask.

I almost felt bad for attacking her while she was unarmed, but when I remembered the despair and agony from the throne room, the pity was driven back and replaced with malice. Hannibal and I approached the bed. He went through the medications that they'd been feeding her and the nearby cart with emergency items. I stood over Aria, frowning.

Her blood red hair was fanned out across her black pillow like blood spilled from her skull. Her insidious red eyes closed, dark red lashes, nearly black, cascaded against full pale cheeks. She looked smaller now that she was laying down. Her muscular long arms were draped across the black and gold blankets, tubes and wires plugged into her like some kind of unlimited outlet.

"Almost done over there?" I asked Hannibal, looking up. He turned to me with a syringe of pale green liquid, opening his mouth before his eyes flashed.

"Move!" He ordered. I snapped my head around to see Aria lunging out of the bed, her red eyes wide open and flashing as she went for my throat, but I smacked her head over the head and she howled in pain, clutching at it as she sank to the bed. Cords and tubes snapped free, flailing helplessly. A few machines blared an alarm, but Hannibal flung his hand at them and sent a blast of power, destroying them all so they sizzled and sparked. Aria tore the oxygen mask off her mouth, curling her lip at me.

"You treacherous cunt! I told you I'd agree to the deal if you let me kill him!" She snarled. I shrugged.

"Someone else made a better deal with me. Have Aria killed, and I'll give you my soul. A soul for vampire's teeth? Ah, yeah. I think the other guy made the better deal." I admitted. Aria snarled and lunged for me again, but I caught her by the throat and pinned her down on the bed. I nodded to Hannibal, who came forward with the syringe. Aria's eyes went wild as she began to thrash and scream.

"Get off me! Theo, you rotten little bastard! Get in here right now before I rip your eyes out of your skull! Save me!" Her screams were piercing and made my ears ring. Even Hannibal pulled up short to cup a hand over his ears. I felt a fissure of power as Theo started to materalize into the room. I cursed and let go of Aria, whirling to Hannibal and taking him by the arm.

"Get out of here! They can't see you!" I ordered. He opened his mouth to protest, but I teleported him back to Akin's penthouse just in time for Theo to appear in the room, looking alarmed for a split second before he saw me and his eyes flared.

"You?! You're the one who keeps trying to kill her?" He demanded angrily. Aria scrambled out of her bed and rolled out onto the floor before shooting to her feet, making her way over to Theo. The cowardly bitch, I thought bitterly.

"Theo, I made a deal. Someone traded their soul for her death. It's a deal I have to take, and quite honestly, I don't get why you're even arguing. You should be pushing the bitch out onto her hands and knees where she belongs so I can lop her fucking head off." I explained. Theo hesitated at that, like the idea intrigued him, but the look vanished when Aria reached him and grabbed a handful of his hair, making him gasp as she pulled him close.

"Don't you fucking dare think about it," She sneered in his ear, making him wince and squirm, "Kill him!"

"I can't," Theo snapped impatiently, trying to pry her hand from his hair, but she only wrenched her fist in tighter, "He's a god! His powers are connected to the Source and if I kill him, it could rupture the natural balance and destroy the world! Not to mention, I'm a demigod, not a god! Even I'm not stupid enough to fight him." Aria curled her lip, then brought her knee up into his stomach and he yelped, sinking to the floor to clutch his stomach while Aria glowered at him down her nose.

"You're a useless ingrate! I don't give two shits what you are! Get on your scrawny legs and fight him! If he doesn't kill you, you can damn well bet I will and I will do it slowly, starting with your pathetic little boy toy." She added. Theo's eyes flashed and he bared his fangs at her.

"Touch him and I'll kill you!"

"Think you can?!" Aria dared and wrenched her hand in Theo's hair, making him gasp as she shoved him down onto the floor. I narrowed my eyes and held my hand out toward Aria, whose eyes flickered with a moment of fear before darkening with hatred.

"Get away from him, Aria. I was hired to kill you in order to protect Theo. Touch him again and I will make your death slow and painful. Get away from him now and I might think about some mercy." I threatened.

"Wait," Theo wheezed, clawing at the floor and trying to get up, "Don't!"

"Theo, don't be stupid," I snapped impatiently, "This bitch has tortured you long enough. It's only right that she die now. What is the point of her living anymore if all she does is hurt you? Your pain is causing others to suffer too. Do you think Sept likes watching you cry and hide in your room? Do you think your servants like being bossed around by that bitch and not you?" Theo hesitated again. Aria made an animalistic snarling sound, then went for Theo and grabbed him by the back of the neck, making him gasp. She tore him to his feet and shoved him at me, but he stumbled to a stop, looking back and forth between her and me. The confusion on his face was pitiful. Aria started to lunge for him again, but I sent out an energy blast that knocked her off her feet and sent her skidding across the room.

Alarm lit up Theo's eyes and he snapped his head at me, sending an orb of fire at me, but I met it with one of my own and caused the flames to swallow each other and vanish in the air.

"Stop," Theo protested angrily, "Stop attacking her!"

"Don't be stupid," I chided, "She's dangerous."

"She's my mother!" Theo returned.

"Is she," I questioned, making Theo wince, "Do mothers beat their children in the middle of the night for something that isn't their fault? Do mothers cut their children's wrists for having their hands on the table? Do mothers break the arm of their child when the child wakes up from a nightmare, caused by her? Theo, that woman isn't your mother. She was just a convenient carrier of you for nine months. You kicked her out once. Why is it so hard to do now? What happened to the Theo that didn't take bullshit from anyone? If you can stand up to Hades when he punishes you for stealing his stuff, then you can stand up to a pathetic sniveling little demon." Theo seemed to consider that.

"Theo," Aria cried and Theo looked at her, expression guarded, "Theo, baby, don't listen to him. You know I did all of that because I love you."

"No, you don't." Theo responded automatically, looking confused. Aria shook her head, and she was taking slow steps toward Theo, making me narrow my eyes as I eyed her in suspicion.

"I do, sweetheart," Aria tried again, plastering on a sickeningly sweet smile, "I love you so much. I know I don't show it the right way, but I don't know how. This is the best way. I wanted you to grow up so you could be strong, stronger than your brothers, and stronger than your father." Theo's expression twisted into confusion.

"No, you didn't?"

"Yes, I did," Aria said, voice strained, "Don't you remember the times I held you?"

"You never held me. At least, not unless you count the times by my throat."

"Theo--"

"Stop it! You're confusing me!" Theo snarled angrily, taking a step away from her. Aria's eyes flared with sudden rage and she shrieked angrily, starting towards him.

"Don't you tell me what to do, you brat! I am your mother!" She held her arm down by her side and I saw a flash of gold, my eyes widening in shock at the sight of an Atlantean dagger sliding into her palm from her sleeve.

"Theo!" I barked. He looked confused still and stumbled back to get away from her, obviously still too afraid to use his powers on her. I ran at Aria and caught her around the waist, slamming her into the floor. She howled and shrieked like a wild animal, moving to cut my throat, but I caught her wrist and snapped it, causing the dagger to go flying across the floor. Aria shrieked and shoved at me, clawing after it, but I caught her by the shoulder and threw her back against the floor, slamming my fist into her face and she hissed in pain, blood bubbling out of her mouth and more dripping from her nose.

"Xenon, stop!" Theo shouted, but he made no move toward us, like he was afraid his mother would turn her rage on him. I ignored him and slammed my fist into Aria's face again.

"I've always wanted to do this," I sneered at her, "The moment I heard about the new heir of Styx, I came out of curiosity and I saw a tiny little red-headed boy with his mother and thought, how nice. He and his mother will get a nice big palace and be happy, but I never heard laughter from this palace. All I heard were screams and sobs. From a tiny little boy that just wanted his mother and father, but instead was cursed with a heifer bitch for a mother and a narcissistic shithead for a father. This is one deal I'm happy to do myself." I punched her in the face again and Aria choked, coughing up blood. She clawed at me in desperation, trying to reach the dagger across the floor, but I caught her arm and broke it at the elbow, making her shriek. I slammed her head into the floor, but she still flailed like a fish out of water trying to get away.

"I said stop!" Theo tried again and this time, he sent a blast of power at me that surprisingly knocked me off her. I rolled away from her and snatched up the dagger, whirling around and throwing it in Aria's direction. Aria squealed and grabbed Theo.

"No!" I shouted in horror. Aria shoved Theo in front of her and the dagger plunged straight into his chest. Theo choked, grasping at his chest before falling to his knees, trembling. Blood oozed past his lips and down his chin. The skin around the dagger began to blacken. Dark black veins and skin becoming ashen. Theo made a choking sound, touching at his chest. Aria curled her lip, jerking her head up to glare at me.

"I wanted the honors of doing that, you prick." She sneered. I couldn't find words to express my rage. I sent out a blast of power and Aria yelped as I sent her flying back into the wall, denting it inwards before she collapsed to the floor, unmoving. I ran to Theo, who was struggling to turn around to look for his mother.

"Mama," Theo choked, gasping for air, "W-Where is she?" I ignored him, dropping on my knees in front of him and grabbing him by the shoulders. I shoved his cloak off so it pooled around him and I grimaced at the poisoned wound at the center of his chest. The black spread out rapidly, already turning his chest dark gray with little black veins spreading out. I cursed, looking up as Theo kept trying to look over his shoulder, blood dribbling past his lips. I grabbed him by the jaw and made him face me.

"Theo, you need to make a deal with me--"

"No! My mother--"

"Theo, look at me. She's dead. She's gone," I said firmly and Theo choked on a sound that almost sounded like a sob, but it was hard to tell with no tears and the blood that bubbled past his lips, "Listen to me. I can heal this if you make a deal with me. Give me something of equal or greater value and do it fast because in the next two minutes, this thing is going to kill you from the inside out." Theo looked at me in pained confusion and went to look over his shoulder again, but I grabbed his face and forced him to look at me.

"She's dead, Theo. Forget her. Focus on yourself. Sept will be crushed if something happens to you. Do this for him, if not for yourself." I explained. That seemed to get his attention. He looked around, probably hoping to find something here before he looked at me.

"I-I don't know what to give--"

"What is equal to your life?"

"I-I don't-- My soul?"

"Done." I stated and grabbed Theo by the face, forcing my lips over his. It wasn't a kiss, no tongue action at all. I just breathed in the essence of the poison. It was a foul and bitter taste and Theo choked, his blood dribbling into my mouth and down the sides, but I ignored it and focused on sucking the poison out, reaching into him with my powers and coaxing it out. Theo squirmed a little, grabbing at my shoulders tightly for a moment before I swallowed the last of the poison. He whimpered back in his throat and fell to the floor, unconscious. But he was alive.

I stood up, stumbling as the poison tried to spread through my system. I went over to Aria, who wasn't dead, just laying there stunned until she saw me coming toward her. She squealed against and scrambled to get away, but I caught her around the waist and threw her into the wall, grabbing her by a handful of red hair and forcing her head back.

"You actually deserve this." I seethed. She stupidly opened her mouth to make a comment, but I covered her mouth with mine and breathed the poison straight inside of her. She screamed into my mouth and tried to bite at my tongue, but I punched her hard in the stomach and felt her ribs crack under the pressure. Her mouth fell open and her eyes rolled back into her head. I let go of her and watched her drop to the floor, her skin steadily turning dark gray and veins a deep black.

I stepped back, breathing hard before turning to Theo, who was sprawled on the floor. I went over to him and knelt down, touching my fingers against his throat before sighing in relief.

He was alive.

And Aria was dead.

Thank the fucking gods.