Aphrodite

Rachel clung to Vlad, her body trembling as she struggled to regain her composure. She found herself unable to confess everything to him—not yet, and perhaps never. For now, being back in his arms, where she felt safest, was all that mattered.

“Are you okay, Rachel?” Vlad asked, his voice full of worry as he looked into her eyes.

Considering everything, her body temporarily giving out seemed like a small problem. “I...I’m fine,” she forced a weak smile and said, trying to reassure him. “I just need to be close to you, Vlad.”

“What happened to you?” Vlad pressed, his forehead creased with concern. He looked utterly exhausted. “Something happened. Your heart stopped. Then, a stream of essence emerged from your arm. It lifted,” he paused, his lips pressing together as he struggled to find the right words. “Essence also left my arm, and I couldn’t control it. The streams joined, and then they shattered. When it happened, it felt like something inside of me was tearing apart. It felt like I had lost you.” A single tear escaped his eye, which he wiped away.

She rested her head on his chest, comforted by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. In that moment, she understood why he had been so guarded when they first met. She had introduced danger into his life, and now, their time together seemed perilously short.

She looked up at him, her fingers gently caressing his cheek. Was this what her creature did—tricked men into loving her for protection? Surely, she was better than that?

The mark on her arm throbbed with heat, the veins protruding like taut cords. The bond with Vlad had been severed. She hesitated to voice it, but the sensation was overwhelming—an emptiness that gnawed at her chest, a hollow void where once there had been a profound connection. She found no words adequate to describe the loss, no way to articulate the emptiness that now consumed her.

“I’m sorry,” her voice cracked, the harsh reality sinking in.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Vlad reassured her, squeezing her hand. His palms were hot and clammy—a testament to his own nervousness.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel sat up and looked at Vlad, feeling her heart flutter despite the turmoil. It was hard to accept that their bond had been broken, especially when her feelings for him were as strong as ever. Yet, as she pondered their relationship, she realised the bond had been just one part of their connection. What truly drew her to him were the moments they shared—the way he laughed, the way he made her feel. The broken bond couldn’t erase those memories or feelings. She still loved him, and she knew deep down that he was worth fighting for.

“I saw him, your king,” she said, saddened as she recalled their conversation, his demands that she serve the Abaddon.

“What happened?”

“He cares deeply for you,” she replied, avoiding the details of the conversation. Explaining everything wasn’t an option—it would only bring them both pain and there was nothing Vlad could do to help. This was a battle she had to face alone.

“Did he indicate how to stop the Abaddon?” Vlad asked, gently brushing the hair from her eyes.

She shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry for dragging you into all of this. Being with you has made me realise how important love is—not lust, but true love. I am so thankful for our time together, and you should know that I still love you.”

“I love you too.” He wrapped his arms around her, his embrace offering unwavering support. “What about the creature in the painting? The Abaddon’s minion?”

Rachel managed a small smile. “I think I have more clarity now about what I must do next. I know how to stop the creature. But please, Vlad, for now, let’s just be ourselves. I’m exhausted, and I’d like to take a break and just enjoy being with you.”

****

That evening, they shared a quiet dinner together. Rachel focused on stories of their past, making an effort to keep the conversation light-hearted. She was eager to discover more about Vlad, and he had many tales to share from his travels.

As night fell, they retired to Rachel’s room. Lying beside Vlad, she rested her head on his chest, comforted by the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat. In that safe embrace, sleep claimed her.

In the depths of her slumber, the mark on her arm began to burn, searing her skin as if a branding iron were pressed against it. The intense pain roused her from sleep, and she found herself inexplicably drawn towards the window, her gaze locking onto the moonlit garden below.

A sinister force seemed to coax her into the darkness. Against her better judgment, Rachel slipped out of her room and headed outside. It felt as though she were walking in a trance, her feet moving towards the river with an eerie autonomy.

The river’s murky waters rippled under the moon shine, whispering and beckoning her to come closer. As she approached the riverbank, she noticed the once tranquil darkness now disturbed by sinister tendrils of shadow. They writhed and twisted, slowly coalescing into the unmistakable form of the Abaddon, materialising before her.

She swallowed nervously, and although every instinct screamed at her to flee, she stood her ground. This was her battle to fight.

The shadows around the Abaddon thickened, his malevolent presence becoming even more formidable. His eyes, two fiery embers, locked onto Rachel. “You cannot escape your destiny, Aphrodite. You are bound to me, and only me,” he declared, his voice low and commanding.

A single tear rolled down Rachel’s cheek, overwhelmed by sorrow. The situation seemed hopeless. She knew all too well what the Abaddon wanted— to use her powers to plunge the world into chaos and destruction.

Summoning every ounce of her courage, she said, “I will end this.”

To Rachel’s surprise, the Abaddon’s harsh demeanour softened. A hint of affection flickered in his eyes, and his voice took on a gentler tone. “Once my body has returned, I will help you regain your memories. You will remember the time we ruled the ancient world together, when we were revered and feared by all.”

Rachel hesitated, her mind reeling as she tried to make sense of this startling disclosure. “You can restore my memories? You have that power? Why haven’t you done it already?”

“You were not ready, Aphrodite. But there was a time, when we were a force to be reckoned with,” the Abaddon continued, its voice filled with longing. “Our powers were unmatched, and we brought balance to the realms. Together, we can achieve that greatness again, Aphrodite.”

Rachel’s voice hardened, her scepticism evident. “Every broken memory I have of you is one of fear. If you were truly desperate to be freed from Inanis, why not show me one of these grand memories? Why not prove your intentions?”

“I have patience, Aphrodite. Your human form is young, and you are only beginning to learn how to wield your powers. It is best to wait until you are fully ready. When that time comes, I can assist you. Together, we can rule over the humans once more and restore the balance.”

As the Abaddon spoke, a part of Rachel felt drawn to his words, enchanted by the prospect of unlocking her past and the secrets it might reveal. However, unease tugged at her heart, a nagging suspicion that the darkness before her was not to be trusted.

She glanced back toward the house where Vlad slept, and her heart ached with the thought of leaving him behind. Despite the allure of the Abaddon’s promises, Rachel knew deep down that she couldn’t forsake the bond she shared with Vlad.

Torn between the past that beckoned with hidden truths and the present that held her heart, Rachel faced a pivotal choice—one that would define her future and determine the course of her destiny. This moment demanded a decision she felt unprepared to make.

“Every dream I had of you involved you destroying everything I built, and me taking my own life,” Rachel recounted, her voice steady but filled with anguish.

“You lost your way, and you refused help,” the Abaddon replied coldly.

Rachel thought back to what Hades had said about pain. “Something triggered all of this. If you expect me to accept this bond, you need to tell me what happened.”

The Abaddon extended a tendril towards her arm, but it only grazed her skin before dissipating. He grunted, revealing his frustration. It seemed he was powerless without a human form, unable to affect the physical world as he wished.

“You must abandon these destructive thoughts. The number of creatures is dwindling, and we are the only ones who can fix this before the humans take over.”

“What happened with the Pheonix? Why did he kill you?”

“Aphrodite,” he growled, his patience fraying. “Restore my body, and I will return your memories. Then, we can end these trivial games.”

Rachel, steadying her voice against the rising tide of doubt and fear, challenged him, “Show me you are not evil. Demonstrate that you are worth fighting for. Only then will I consider your request.”

His face hovered before her, ethereal yet imposing. Despite lacking a physical form, his presence commanded the space, intimidating and powerful. “You think you are pure, innocent, but the truth is, you are just like me. We create and we destroy. We were here at the beginning of time, and we will be all that is left at the end. These humans have tainted you with their religions.”

She interrupted firmly, “They haven’t poisoned me with anything. If you take life needlessly, you are evil.”

“Evil is a concept crafted by human religions to give themselves purpose,” he countered dismissively. “We are neither good nor evil. We simply exist, fulfilling the roles we were destined to play.”

“But our purpose,” she protested, “is not to spread fear and chaos, or to cause heartache.”

He chuckled. “My Aphrodite, you may have lost your memories, but you have not changed. Fear is a tool necessary to maintain balance; without it, those with unchecked ambition would dominate. Look at the humans—see how far they have come. Their leaders believe themselves to be untouchable, convinced they can rule over us if they harness our powers. But the truth is, Aphrodite, they cannot seize the powers of shadow creatures. We are both the beginning and the end of this realm.”

“So, you would come here and cause suffering? That is your purpose?”

He sounded frustrated as he replied, “You still can’t look beyond yourself, can you? You are the one who has caused the suffering. I am here to reset the balance, and it won’t be long now before my physical body returns and we reunite.”

The Abaddon vanished, leaving Rachel alone in the cold of night. She was faced with a critical decision, and she knew deep in her heart that she needed to prevent the Abaddon from regaining his physical form. His return would only bring further destruction to this world.

Rachel decided to follow Leonardo’s path to the Devil’s hand in Italy. Her heart weighed heavy as she quietly packed her belongings, careful not to disturb Vlad’s slumber. She knew that if she revealed her plans, Vlad would insist on joining her, and the thought of drawing him deeper into danger was unbearable. Instead, she left behind a note, pouring out her need for answers and reaffirming her love for him.

Rachel made the sombre decision to journey to Italy, following Leonardo’s path to the Devil’s hand.

Before sunrise, Rachel quietly packed her belongings, taking great care not to disturb Vlad’s sleep. She knew well that if he learned of her plans, he would insist on joining her, a risk she could not accept. Instead, she left a heartfelt note beside his pillow, explaining her need to seek answers alone and reaffirming her love for him.

Tears blurred her vision as she slipped out of the house. She paused to take one last look at the place that had begun to feel like a home, then took Vlad’s car keys from the counter. Starting the engine, she drove away from the life that had only just started to fill her with happiness.

Rachel’s journey led her back to the city and to her apartment, where she planned to gather her belongings and passport before heading straight to the airport. As she rushed inside, her heart caught in her throat. Her eyes landed on the shattered remnants of her coffee table. Memories of her encounter with Darius flooded back, and she noticed dried specks of his blood on the fabric of her lounge. The state of her apartment was a reflection of her life—both were in disarray.

Rachel hurried to her bedroom, swiftly flinging open the wardrobe door. Stretching on her tiptoes, she reached for her small travel case stored high on a shelf. Once her fingers secured the wheels, she tugged it free and threw it onto the bed.

Her breath came in short, quick gasps as she gathered clothes and travel essentials. Zipping up the bag, she felt a momentary relief wash over her—she was almost ready to leave. But there was one last essential item she needed: her passport.

Rachel rifled through every drawer, her movements becoming increasingly frantic as she failed to locate her passport. Panic surged within her as a floorboard creaked at the entrance to her bedroom. Heart hammering, she froze and slowly turned toward the sound.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the leech warned, his human form slightly glowing in the dim light.

“What are you doing here?” Rachel demanded, her voice steady despite the rising tension.

“Don’t be ignorant. You already know it is too late,” he replied.

Rachel didn’t have time for this. She sensed that the leech knew she was preparing to confront the Abaddon and was here to stall her efforts. “If I kill you in your human form, will you die like a human?”

“I live between worlds, Aphrodite. You cannot kill what never lived,” he replied, his tone mocking.

“I’m sure there must be a way you can be killed. Cut your heart out? Throw you in a volcano?”

He smirked, taking a step closer. “I have no heart to remove, and if you throw me into a volcano, I will slither through the molten rock back to the underworld,” he taunted, his confidence unsettling.

“No heart, just like every other pest in my life… Why are you so determined to force me to be with the Abaddon? What’s in it for you? Eternal rest when his spawn sends all the realms into oblivion?”

“This isn’t about endings, Aphrodite. It’s about beginnings—restoring the natural order. You will bring powerful beings into this world and make us strong again. I will be there to help and support you, as I always have. It is time for you to give yourself to the Abaddon,” the leech said, his golden eyes glowing.

The leech extended his hand toward her, but she recoiled. “Don’t touch me,” she snapped, slapping his cheek hard.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy banging reverberated through the apartment. “Police! Open up!” a voice shouted from the other side of the door. Rachel and the leech exchanged a look of startled surprise.

“Don’t let them in!” the leech hissed urgently.

A cold dread washed over her, terrified by the prospect of being captured and subjected to experimentation. She had been warned about the humans, but she was surprised by the leech’s reaction. Despite his ability to travel between worlds and his apparent indifference to death, a flicker of fear now danced in his eyes.

“Why? Are you afraid they’ll shoot you? Would a bullet kill you?”

“They are not police; they are scientists,” he hissed, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“POLICE! Open the door, or we will break it!” the voice soudned again from outside.

“What do you mean? We have abilities. We can control the humans.” Rachel thought about her own powers, wondering if they could be used to manipulate these humans and escape.

Her confidence, however, began to falter as she noticed the leech’s expression shift into one of genuine fright. “The humans have developed technology specifically to counter our abilities,” he explained, his voice tense. “They want to study us, dissect us. We must leave now.” He grabbed her arm urgently. “We must jump from the window.”

Her confidence waned as she saw the leech’s expression change. He seemed genuinely frightened. “The humans have developed technology to counter our abilities. They want to study us, dissect us. We must leave,” he said as he reached out, taking hold of her arm. “We must jump from the window.”

“Are you crazy?” Rachel exclaimed, her eyes wide as she stared at him in disbelief, the reality of their dire situation sinking in.

The door burst open, and soldiers clad in combat gear poured into the tiny apartment, their presence dominating the small space. In that critical moment, her only chance for survival was to trust the leech and escape the human threat.

The leech hissed, his jaw distending unnaturally to reveal long, serpentine teeth glistening with venom. He lunged at one of the soldiers, who narrowly evaded the vicious attack. Reacting swiftly, another soldier deployed a canister, spraying a mist into the air. Undeterred, the leech’s teeth clamped onto the first soldier’s side, hitting his armour.

An acrid chemical smell filled the room, causing the leech to flinch. To Rachel’s horror, his skin bubbled and blistered under the assault. With a hiss of agony, he morphed into his serpent form. The soldiers rushed toward the sleek black snake, but he slipped into the bathroom and vanished before they could seize him. Rachel had no time to react before her hands were cuffed behind her back.

“It got away,” one of the soldiers announced as he emerged from the bathroom.

“What are you doing? Am I under arrest?” Rachel demanded, her voice edged with panic.

A soldier stood before her, examining her from head to toe. All she could see were his eyes, the rest of his face hidden behind a mask. She needed to escape, and fast. The humans she had once trusted and considered her own kind were now her enemy.

The soldier spoke with contempt in his voice. “All these disgusting creatures are the same. You’re no better than us. You may have abilities, but we have science, and science always wins. We’ll control every one of you creatures soon enough.”

“Please don’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not a creature,” she begged, panic rising in her voice.

In a desperate bid to protect herself, Rachel tried to summon her powers. Her hands began to glow with a faint purple light, signalling the gathering of her energy. But before she could unleash it, the soldier held a device up to her face.

“It’s too late,” he said.

He pressed a small button on the device, and a mist dispersed into her face. Rachel squeezed her eyes shut, turning her head away as she coughed and inhaled the unknown substance.

She tried to focus on the soldier, but her vision was rapidly blurring. “What did you...” she gasped, her words fading into a whisper as darkness crept into the edges of her consciousness. Her knees buckled and she collapsed, falling helplessly into the hands of the humans.