I'm reading 'Sieze the Night', laughing my ass off, feeling guilty for hating Valerius so much and feeling so bad for Kyrian because he doesn't know how to handle non-immortality so what do I do? I write. Enjoy!

Chapter Quote:
"Cancel my subscription because I don't need your issues."
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Chapter 15

I felt Kiara upstairs, angrily pacing back and forth. Nick only confirmed that, warning me that unless I wanted to get blasted by telekinetic powers, I'd best stay where I was. However, Ash's request was too intriguing for me. I headed upstairs, careful to make some noise so Kiara would know I was coming. Nick started humming Chopin's Marche Funèbre. I wanted to throw something at him but considering everything on me could kill him, I reluctantly decided against it. I needed my Squire.

Knocking on her door, I asked, "May I come in?"

The door opened by itself. Upon entering, I expected to find my guest enraged, furious. She was quite the opposite. She wore a frazzled, frightened expression. The shield she usually had blocking me from reading her thoughts was down, allowing all her emotions to crash over me at once. I stood in shock, unable to feel what was strongest: her anger, her pain, her confusion, her sadness, her anxiety, her fear.

"Is Valerius okay?" She inquired immediately.

"Unfortunately," I replied, walking into her room and shutting the door. I leaned against it, not feeling it best to approach her yet. I could sense she needed space but still needed someone.

"I don't know why I attacked him. It's just whenever I hear his name this rage boils up inside me but I can't remember for the life of me of why I hate him. I know I'm Greek and he's Roman so there's already an enmity there but even I wouldn't hurt a Roman unless they'd done something to me or they were going to do something to me. So why do I hate Valerius so much? It's not like he even attacked me, he just defended himself from me!" Kiara rambled before sinking onto the chest at the foot of her bed. Thinking it safe, I sat next to her.

"How can you hate Valerius but not remember why?" I treaded softly, knowing the smallest aggravation could set her off again.

"I don't know what was so bad about my past life Mr. Hunter, that-"

"Kyrian. Call me Kyrian."

The corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly, almost as if she wanted to smile. "I don't know what was so bad about my past life, Kyrian, that I wouldn't want to remember it. But according to Ares, when he made me an Arean, I requested he erase my memory, only leaving the most basic memories of my life: my childhood, the fact I had a husband, kids, and why I got revenge on the person I did. But other than the names of my parents, the name of my brother, his wife, and a guy I used to fancy, I don't remember anything. But the erasing wasn't foolproof. Hell, it's more of a wall just blocking me from accessing all those memories. Ares told me I'd be fine as long as I didn't scratch at the wall or come across people I'd known in my past life. I thought all was well for most of my immortal life until about two hundred years ago."

"What happened?"

"I met Zarek."

"The lunatic who lives in Alaska? That Zarek?" I stared at her incredulously.

"That would be him. And he's not a lunatic. Whatever he went through when he was a human, it is unlike anything I can imagine, and I can think of a lot. He never knew what it was like to be cared for."

"Tell me. I'm all ears."

"I was following a demon trail. For some reason they chose Alaska. I guess because it's difficult to live there if you don't know how to survive in Arctic weather. Mind you, this was the dead of winter. Practically no sunlight whatsoever. Anyway, I tracked the demon to Fairbanks when I came across three Spathi Daimons. I attacked. I'd already cut through two and turned to take the third but Zarek must've heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. When I saw him, I can't explain it but I felt this... overwhelming urge to protect him. I'd never felt that before over anyone before him. The Daimon had cut him on the arm. I tried to let him let me see it but he wouldn't have it. Zarek just stalked away. I followed. He didn't want me near but I needed to figure out why I felt the need to protect him. So I lied. I told him what I was really doing there, but I told him Acheron sent me to get help from him. Usually Zarek won't defy orders from Ash. He begrudgingly agreed. I told him I'd have to stay nearby him so that I could talk to him whenever I needed. He hated the idea but told me the only place close to his house was a cave occupied by a mother grizzly bear so I'd have to stay with him. He tried to have me take the bed but I just took to the floor. I was the guest. I wouldn't let him. It took us a month to finally track down and kill the demon but even then I didn't want to leave. Over the time I'd been with Zarek, despite his cold, unfeeling demeanor, I'd made progress with him. It's amazing what a few kind gestures can do to a person. About two weeks in, I'd fallen asleep only to wake up in his bed. It was well below negative forty that night. I know that as a Dark Hunter, he'd survive, but he didn't know what I was yet. He had no idea. And truth be told I was freezing my ass off so the body warmth was welcome. That turned out to be our arrangement for the remaining time. Finally Zarek asked me what I was, where I was from, and why was I being kind to him. I told him everything, thinking that after everything that he'd accept and understand what I was telling and why I did what I did." Pain flashed over Kiara's face. "He didn't believe me. He called me a liar, a filthy Greek, and a lunatic. He stalked out of the house, telling me that I better be gone by the time he got back. I packed my stuff and teleported myself to the nearest airport. Zarek doesn't know this but I go up to Fairbanks once in a while, pay for stuff he needs, watch his back. Helped him in a fight a few times. He'll demand to know who I am every time I do that but I'd just flash out of there." Kiara ran her hands through her hair. "I know it sounds crazy but I know I know Zarek. I still don't know where from or how but I do. My guess is that he was a dear friend or someone I cared deeply for, but how a Greek and a Roman came to be like that, I have no idea."

"Can Ares take down the wall?" I questioned.

Kiara shook her head. "No. The only way it can be taken down is if I bring it down myself. So far the most I've broken down is the emotions I feel for certain people."

"Your second mission, the personal one, is that trying to break down the wall?"

"In a way. As a reward for taking care of this massive threat to humanity right after I met Zarek, Ares granted me with one detail of my life that he thought might be key to me getting all my memories back."

"What was that?"

"He told me my husband was alive. He told me my husband was a Dark Hunter."

"A Dark Hunter?" I repeated.

"It seems insane but Ares never lied to me before. I made him promise that if my husband died, he would tell me so I'd stop thinking about finding him. Ares warned me that a wall like this, if breached, could make some people go insane. I thought I was above that. Now with everything going on, I'm starting to feel like I'm losing what little sanity I have left."

"So focus on the things that you can control and then work on the things you can't afterwards. If you were Princess of Athens, surely you're in the history books right? Maybe you can read about yourself?" I suggested.

"I already tried that. Unfortunately, Ares didn't want to make it easy for me, finding out who I am. Either the books that have me in them are all checked out or anyone who knows anything about me forgets what they know. So pretty much I'm royally screwed."

"Have you thought about just researching the time period you came from? Maybe it could jog your memory?"

Kiara looked at me. "I never thought of it that way. That's a good idea. Tomorrow, I'll head to the library and check out some books. Sorry I was freaking out on you, it's just being in New Orleans, I've met someone else that has triggered something in me and I can't figure out where I know them from."

"Who? Valerius?"

"Yeah. I'll let you go. Are we going to go down and do some more patrolling around the Quarter or is Ash keeping us on lockdown for the rest of the night after what I did?"

"He just said to make sure you were okay. He never said we couldn't go back out."

"Then let's go. I'm itching to get back out there."

I laughed. Taking her hand in mine, I escorted her back downstairs. Nick was still humming Marche Funèbre. This time I slapped him upside the head to get him to shut up.

"Hey you're not dead!" Nick exclaimed. "Sorry, Kiara, you were kind of in a mood and I feared for my boss's safety. Glad you didn't fry him though!"

"Oh I could never fry him, or you. And while I sometimes threaten to fry Acheron, he knows I would never do it. Hell I wouldn't even fry Valerius despite my actions earlier."

"I'm glad to hear that," Acheron's deep voice said from behind us. The six-foot-eight Dark Hunter rested his head on top of Kiara's easily. She appeared rather annoyed, which only was confirmed when she said, "You're doing that to tick me off, aren't you?"

"You did attack one of my Dark Hunters earlier," Ash pointed out.

"I'm not going to do it again... how is he?"

"His back doesn't hurt anymore but his broken ribs are still mending. Exactly how hard did you kick him?"

"She sent him staggering back. It was awesome!" Nick laughed. "The look on his face: priceless!"

"I'd go say I'm sorry but I think he might want to kill me now," Kiara admitted.

"No, but I can tell you he's going to be much more careful walking around now," Ash remarked.

"Tell him I'm sorry next time you see him."

"Will do. Listen, I came by to make sure Kiara hadn't blasted anything with her telekinesis. Considering you and everything else is intact, I'm assuming she didn't?"

"No. We were just about to head out to go hunting for more Daimons," I said.

"Since when do you have a partner in your hunting, Kyrian?"

"Since I haven't really given him a choice," Kiara laughed, walking out from underneath Acheron's head and draping her arm over my shoulder. Her boots gave her enough height that it was awkward for her to be doing so. "Besides, we make a good team. Even better with Nick on board."

"Don't go giving him a big head. He already has one," Acheron warned.

"Hey now!" Nick protested.

"Take Royal, Bourbon, and Canal. Valerius is working on the other side of town so you shouldn't run into him again and if you do, no attacking Kiara," Acheron admonished.

She held up her hands. "Understood T-Rex."

"Get going you two." Ash flashed out of the room. Kiara grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulders. A few things clattered inside it, making me wonder just how much was actually in there, and what exactly was in there. My question was answered when she pulled out Chinese ring daggers, sliding them up her sleeves so that with one jerk, they could come sliding out right onto her finger. She proceeded to pull out a few Shurikens, or ninja stars as they're more commonly called. She put them in a hidden pocket on the inside of her jacket. Lastly she stuffed a stiletto knife in her boot.

"It's really incredible you didn't kill Valerius with all the stuff you have on you," Nick commented.

"I didn't have this stuff on me when I fought him. Didn't have a chance to bring them. Okay, ready Kyrian?"
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Next chapter will be coming up soon!