Symphony of Death

Anastasia’s POV

Shae transformed back into a cat as soon as I was done braiding her hair. It was so difficult to convince her in the first place. She didn’t switch to her human form unless needed.

“What are you looking at so keenly?” Shae settled herself in my lap and purred softly. She was just so adorable. “Oh, this feels nice.” She stretched her cute legs when I scratched behind her ear.

“Why did you choose to be a cat, Shae?” Her big green eyes bore into mine and she curled up in a small ball after a few moments. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” She replied. “I don’t know much about my early life. I just remembered being thrown off the cliff. Everything is vague before and after that.”

“You were killed?” I asked in astonishment. “How old were you?”

“Fifteen.” She replied while looking at me. “Humans are scarier than demons, Ana.” Her voice took on a dark note. “I would have turned up like those senseless Anima if it wasn’t for Master Cain. I would have been chained to The Abyss Sea, a detainment for Anima.”

“It’s a scary place. The rogue Anima are subjected to the worst kind of punishment there.” Shae looked at me. “Master saved me from all that when he didn’t need to. I’m indebted to him forever.”

“How long has it been?”

“Two hundred years.” I blinked in surprise. “I’ve been serving master for a hundred and fifty years. He taught me himself.”

“That’s” My phone interrupted me. “One minute.” I put Shae on the bed before rolling over to answer. “Hello?”

“You’ve got some pretty friends.” I bolted off the bed like I was struck with lightning. “They not only look good but smell delicious.”

“If you think this is a good prank,” I grabbed my boots and wore them hastily. “You are going to learn a lesson of your life.”

“You are in no place to threaten, sweet pea” he slurred. “All that trouble to protect them from us.” he laughed deplorably. “I’ll give you an hour to save your friends from becoming our meal.”

I wouldn’t have believed him if it wasn’t for Angie’s scream.

“Hear that? Your girls are having fun.” My heart thundered with fear for their safety. “Come to Black Vortex right now. Don’t think about bringing the cavalry.” He ended the call.

“Shit,” I cursed loudly. I grabbed my wallet from the table and dialed Angie’s number just to be sure. She didn’t answer. “Shit!”

“Ana?” Shae paced over the bed. “It can be a trap.”

“I’m ready to take my chances.” She jumped in my path to stop me. “Shae, Please.”

“I am coming with you,” She interjected calmly. “You cannot leave the premises alone and it is better not to take chances.” I nodded and picked her up. “If it gets out of hand, I will inform master.”

I nodded again and ran out of my room.

Cain wasn’t back yet. I only needed to return before him and no one would be harmed.

“Wait a minute,” I stopped midway and looked back. “We don’t have time to waste.” I ran in the opposite direction.

I was desperate and desperate times called for desperate measures.

“Where are we going?” Shae questioned.

“Garage,” I crossed the door quietly and ran down the stairs and along the lone hallway with nothing but plain gray walls on either side.

It was the only place in Cain’s estate among a few others that I avoided exploring on purpose. The lights turned on automatically when I entered.

“Holy mother of-” I looked at the cars in awe.

I couldn’t locate the end of the garage, that’s how huge it was. There wasn’t a single model that wasn’t in his collection. I looked incredulously at the long panel on the wall to my right. It was loaded with keys organized in order.

“There must be hundreds of them.” I grabbed a key randomly and pressed the button. “I hope it is near.”

I hurried toward the orange McLaren when it beeped. I didn’t know much about cars but I was sure it was one of the latest.

Shae jumped out of my arms and transformed. I nodded at her and we got in the car.

The shutter lifted automatically and I drove out of the garage. The guards opened the gates without question when they saw Shae.

My heart was in my mouth all the way to the club.

I was conjuring up every kind of possible scenario. Most of them were worse than others. I was scared but I was more scared for Angie and Nat.

“You stay here for now,” I parked the car outside the club and looked at Shae. “I will call you if there is trouble. You have your phone with you, right?” Shae nodded.

I breathed deeply and got out of the car.

Surprisingly, the giant bouncers didn’t even spare me a glance when I dashed past them.

The club was empty.

There weren’t any people outside as well. This set off another alarm in my head.

I took out the phone from my pocket and called back that kidnapper.

“I’m here” I kept surveying the area. “Where are you?”

“Behind you” I whipped around wildly to see a hulk looking down at me lecherously.

He was thrice my height and five times bulky.

“Hello, baby doll.” He forced me back on my steps. “I wasn’t expecting you to come so quickly and-” My back hit the bar. “Eagerly.”

“Where are my friends?” He grinned maliciously in response. “I swear if they are hurt even a little–”

“Oh, I would be more worried about my safety if I were you.” He jeered at me. “Let’s get down to business.”

“Not before I see my friends.”

The mutated giant didn’t seem to like it.

“You bitch!”

I wasn’t ready for the slap.

It threw me on the floor a few feet away and it hurt like hell. I wiped my bloody lip and got back up.

“You will learn it the hard way then.” The giant stomped toward me.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” I rolled my sleeves and pulled my hair up in a temporary bun. “You really shouldn’t have.” I grabbed the punch he threw at me and roundhouse kicked him in the face. “And you are a human.”

I didn’t wait for him to regain his footing. I climbed on top of his thighs and locked my legs around his neck before plunging him on the floor like a potato sack.

I rolled back to my feet and got in stance again when two more appeared after him.

“Get her,” He yelled at his minions who charged at me at the same time.

I grabbed the steel tray from the bar top and smashed it in the face of the one that came on me first. I grabbed the arm of the second man and kicked the first one in the gut before ramming a punch in his companion’s jaw.

The second man was more persistent than the first one.

“You are dead meat” he threw punch upon punch my way, cornering me in the process. “You little!”

I raised my arm in time to avoid the direct hit of the bottle to my face. He took advantage of this and threw me across the floor.

“Not so tough now.” He cracked his neck while coming to me.

“Yeah, right” I got up quickly. “I didn’t spend hours aching on the floor to get beaten by the likes of you.”

I hooked him under the chin before axe kicking him to the floor. They won’t be getting up anytime soon. I looked at my bloody arm. The wound didn’t seem serious.

“Arrogant loons.” They cowered away when I raised my hand as if to slap them. I turned to leave but stopped.

Angie and Nat stood across me with arms crossed and stoic faces.

“I told you not to go overboard.” Nat broke the silence first. “Your plan could have landed us in serious trouble.”

“It wouldn’t have worked if I hadn’t taken it to this extent.” Angie looked at me smugly. “You are dead, Anastasia Grace.” I grunted when she pounced on me. “You underestimated yours truly a little too much.”

“Get off,” I breathed in relief when she finally let go. “What are you, crazy?” I looked at them in disbelief.

“We can talk about it.” Angie and Nat grinned from ear to ear. “Why don’t you enlighten us with some hardcore facts?” I stayed mum. “We know,” Angie said solemnly. “About the Black brothers.”

“Ana!” Nat grabbed my hand firmly. “It’s not like we are not scared.” I could see it. “Are they involved in Laurel’s–” She stopped midway. “I’m so sorry, Ana,” Nat hugged me tightly. “We didn’t even know.”

“How did you find out?” I asked them after pulling away.

“We spied on the brothers,” Angie replied. “We were already suspicious of them and their actions only solidified everything after you left. And one day, I heard Aeron and Cain talking. What is this deal with the wing and all?”

I scratched my forehead at this.

By the looks of it, they didn’t know the whole truth about Cain. I was not going to tell them either. It was better to leave them in the dark for their good.

“Are they,” Angie’s voice was barely audible. “Really dem–” we clamped her mouth shut and looked around warily.

“They are at the top of the hierarchy, girl,” I muttered sarcastically. “And I happened to be the unfortunate damsel who got caught in a personal brawl.”

****

Cain’s POV

“That was unexpected,” Aeron mused. “They are persistent, I give them that.”

I palmed the glass and leaned over while looking down at the trio.

“How naive of them to think that we wouldn’t know their cute spying.” Aeron chuckled. “What now, brother?”

“Let them be,” I replied coolly. “We will deal with them if they open their mouths.”

“It’s the key to the path of Aether Estuary,” Aeron announced. “No one can enter there unless summoned by Astras. Not even angels or divine beings can go there so what are our chances. They won’t let us in and we can’t find the path or force our way inside.”

“The real question is,” Xic looked at us grimly. “How did Lyra get her hands on something like this? This is some twisted coincidence.”

“Harold approached Anastasia,” I told them casually. “He mentioned Omisha to her.”

“He is challenging you openly,” Xic scoffed. “He is declaring war now that he has quite the followers.”

“Explains the scent of Blue Blood on her, no?” Aeron said matter of factly. “They wanted you to act out of your anger.” He raked his hair wildly. “So, they made their move.”

“Harold is working with Blue Bloods.” I scoffed. “Not now but from the time they attacked us back then.”

“And that explains how he can control low-level Anima.” Xic spat in disgust. “Fucking vermin.”

“You need to leave your mark on Anastasia. Shae won’t be enough to protect her. You cannot trust Harold for even a second. If she learned the truth from other sources,” his voice turned grave, “Or worse, if she chose to walk over towards Blue Bloods.”

He went back to the table and I turned the other way.

“Aren’t you a fierce one?” I chuckled darkly. “You have piqued my interest, love.” I finished my drink. “To all the thrill ahead.” I tossed the glass aside and went to the door.

“Leaving?” Xic pushed the women off his lap and stood up. “The night hasn’t even started yet.” He wiped the lipstick off his lips and grinned wickedly. “These are not to your taste?” He gestured toward the women around the table.

One was busy feeling up Aeron who was paying the least attention to her. Two were already knocked out and lying naked on the couch Xic was occupying.

“You barely bedded anyone over years, brother. This abstinence could have serious ramifications.”

“Enjoy yourself” I walked out on them and went down to the main club. We booked it exclusively for the night but we weren’t expecting a gate-crashing. “Aren’t you a happy little thing?”

The euphoria was radiating off her face.

“It’s unbelievable.” One of her friends muttered and shook her head.

“Is your arm okay now?”

Their hushed conversation halted and they looked up simultaneously.

“Having fun?” Anastasia visibly paled upon seeing me. They stood up at the same time and her friends scampered out of my way when I moved toward her. “Shall we?” I raised my hand for her.

“It’s not her fault.” Angela stepped up for her friend. “We tricked her.”

I looked at Anastasia in mock curiosity.

“I didn’t say anything.” She shook her head. “I swear I am not lying.”

“We’ll find that out later,” I gestured toward my hand again, this time warning her silently. “You remember our deal, right?”

Anastasia placed her hand in mine.

“Good girl.” Her friends blocked my way. “You should know better before taking such mindless actions. It can cost you your life.”

“Need a hand?” Aeron and Xic came as well. “Well, well, well. What do you know?” They smirked at their horrified expressions. “Looks like a much better party than the one we were having upstairs.”

“Don’t harm them” Anastasia pleaded. “It’s not what you think it is. Please, don’t do anything.” She sealed her mouth shut when I put a finger on her lips.

“Take care of them,” I dragged her out of the club. “You broke your promise.” I jerked her around and held her close. “Don’t blame me now.”

She trembled when I touched the cut on her lip.

“I didn’t do it on purpose. They were in danger and I didn’t–Please” Her voice shook. “Don’t hurt them. Not them. Stop your brothers.”

“And what do you have to say?” I hissed through gritted teeth.

The terror rose in Anastasia’s eyes when Shae came.

“I’m sorry, master” Shae bowed her head. “I will face the consequences for my actions.”

“It’s not her fault.” Anastasia shook her head. “I forced her to come with me. She was–”

“Do they know?” I asked calmly. “Did you tell them?” Anastasia kept her silence. “Anastasia!” I increased the pressure in my hold on her arms. “Did you tell them about us?”

“No,” She whimpered. “They figured it out themselves.” I gritted my teeth in anger. “They won’t tell anyone. Please! They will never say a word.” She resisted when I pulled her toward my car. “Cain!”

“Come quietly.” I hissed in her face. “Don’t make me more angry than you have.”

“I-” Anastasia stammered, “I took one of your cars.” She fished the keys out of her pocket and extended them toward me. “I was in a hurry so,” her face turned red in embarrassment. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

I mused over the absurdity of her thoughts. She was worried about taking a car without permission when she should be concerned about serious matters.

I grabbed the keys from her and tossed them toward Shae. She left without wasting another second.

Anastasia on the other hand looked like a little lost lamb.

“You want me to spare your friends?” A wicked thought crossed my mind. “I can do that if you pay the price for your reckless decision.”

I grabbed her waist and pulled her against me. Her complexion ashen a little when my eyes switched. I raised her injured arm and kissed her wound.

“What are you doing?” Anastasia screamed. “Leave-” I grabbed her head to keep her in place. “Stop, no.” Her heart thumped furiously against my ribcage when I kissed the cut on her lip and moved toward her bruised cheek. “Stop, please. Stop.”

“Do you want to save your friends or not?” I caressed her healed cheek with my knuckles. “I can do that,” she whimpered when I skimmed my nose along the length of her neck. “If you do what I say.”

“Cain!” Anastasia pushed at my shoulders when I started peppering open kisses on her neck. “Stop, please. No!” She cried out when I bit into her pulse point.

“Kiss me” Her breath hitched when I whispered against her lips. “Kiss me like you mean it and I will let your friends go.” I released her hair and grabbed a fistful of them. “Please me, and I will even allow you to meet your friends without any restrictions.” Her eyes widened slightly at this. “Sounds good?”

Anastasia grabbed my face with both hands and smashed her lips on mine. She looped her arms around and got on her toes when I refused to bend.

Her lips moved urgently and desperately against mine. I smirked at her protesting moans when I refused to kiss her back.

Her heart was thundering and she was shaking like a leaf in my arms.

I glared at her closed eyelids while reminiscing about the past.

“Kiss me,” Omisha paled at my proclamation. “Why are you hesitating?” I glared at her when she kept looking around us nervously.

I wasn’t unaware of the reasons for her hesitation. But that was exactly why I was angry and chose to teach her a lesson.

“Are you that afraid of being seen with me?” My jaw twitched when she cowered away from me. “Then why did you come to me in the first place?”

“Cain!” Omisha latched onto my arm when I tried to walk away. “It’s not what you think.”

“Do you love me?” I asked her bluntly. “Do you want to be with me?”

“Yes,” her reply was meek. “Why don’t you trust my love? Why do you keep testing me like this?”

“Then prove it today.”

Her breaths turned uneven when I pulled her into my body. She tried to look at our surroundings again but I forced her eyes back on me by gripping her chin firmly.

“Kiss me right now and prove me wrong.”

“Cain!” Omisha pushed at my chest to break free. “Stop this.” She gasped when my eyes switched. Her struggles to break free became violent. “I can’t. I won’t. Someone will see us.”

“So this is the reason,” Omisha jumped away from me when I let her go.

“You don’t understand.” Omisha held her hands to her chest.

She was trying to hide it desperately but I could see through her and her lame attempts to mask the truth.

“I am already risking enough by coming to meet you in secret. I’ll be cast out like my cousin’s family.”

“Then there is no need for this farce.” I stepped back when Omisha tried to touch me. “I am not a mean for your secret pleasures, Omisha. Don’t come to me again unless you grow enough guts to be mine in front of the whole fucking world.”

There was nothing familiar.

Anastasia’s aura, presence, and touch were the polar opposite of Omisha’s. I noticed it the first time and when I kissed her that night.

It aggravated me.

Her red hair, her warm brown eyes, her fair skin, and her soft features bore no resemblance to her past life. The more I noticed them, the more visible the disparity became.

Omisha would have never kissed me like this. She never kissed me on her accord.

How is it possible that she bears no resemblance or essence of her past self?

The revelation of her reincarnation with my wing came true then how come she was not what she used to be. She was bound to have a trait or two from her past but there was nothing.

She was not even born as a Blue Blood.

I growled when Anastasia tugged at my hair and licked my bottom lip after biting it. Her eyes fluttered open and her gaze bore into mine.

She was scared. She was unsure. But she was determined to fight.

I grabbed her head and forced her into a real kiss.

I grunted when her scent drowned my senses. I rubbed her waist sensually and pushed her further into me when I felt her resisting.

Anastasia moaned when I tightened my grip on her hair and hips.

Fuck it.

Her mouth opened to my silent command and her moans became louder when my tongue explored her mouth.

She was nothing like anything I ever tasted before.

Anastasia pulled at my hair when I deepened the kiss. My chest rumbled with growls the more her purity invaded my system.

I wanted more. I wanted all of it.

Her eyes stayed closed when I released her lips. Her small hands were clutching my shirt tightly and her cheeks were flushed with anger and embarrassment.

I grabbed her face with both hands and angled it back slightly.

I wanted to kiss her again. I wanted to taint her purity with my sinful touches and watch her writhe in absolute pleasure under me.

It was hard to control the urge. I could feel the stir in my blood. It wanted to claim her body right now.

I would have fucked her senseless if it wasn’t for that fucking curse. It would kill Anastasia if she didn’t consent to my touch and I couldn’t afford that.

A soft gasp escaped her swollen and red lips when I rubbed them slowly and sensually with my thumb.

The sight was quite enticing. It stirred something diabolical within me.

Anastasia ignited an insatiable lust in me toward her. Something I never felt in years.

A conflagration I never felt for even Omisha.