Symphony of Death

Cain’s POV

Gigantic bloodhounds rose from the ground and stood on guard outside Anastasia’s studio. She could not see what I was about to do to Catsya. It would be too brutal for her innocence.

As much I relished in the evilness, I was not ready to expose her to it.

“Get up,” the leash disappeared from around Catsya’s neck. “I want to see how great is the daughter of the most feared Leviathan.”

“You are making me angry, oh great Dalazar Daemmone,” Catsya growled. I looked around impassively when the horde of her demons surrounded me. “Don’t you fucking dare to mock me.”

“You are a disgrace to your blood,” I spat. “You should have known what waited for you when you came after her.”

“For how long are you going to drag this feud?” Catsya snickered. “You are dealing with this unnecessary shit because you are being soft-hearted toward that human.” She spat in disgust. “Kill her and take your wing. Save yourself and us from this headache.”

Aeron and Xic appeared behind me.

“Trace the dog back to his owner,” I gave the blood-smeared piece of Larc’s shirt to Aeron.

“And Anastasia?” Aeron inquired.

“Take her to Einar. Shae is injured. Tell him to examine Ana thoroughly and send Shae back to Acreoterra for now.” I replied without tearing my eyes away from Catsya. “Go.”

“You think you can find Larc this easily?” Catsya sneered once they left. “You need to locate Harold’s hideout first.”

“What makes you think that I don’t know already?” I remarked. “Bring it on, Catsya.” My arms transformed and engulfed in flames along with my Ashrune.

“Gladly,” she hissed and produced high voltage current on her hands.

Our fists nullified each other’s attack. Catsya dodged the swing of my blade and slipped underneath.

“My!” She laughed when my blade clashed with her halberd. “You are making me regret my decision, oh Dalazar Daemmone,” Catsya skidded back to dodge another strike.

“Does she mean that much to you?” She flipped over my head and jumped back a few steps. “Weakness can be disastrous, my lord,” she raised her arm and her demons lunged at me from every direction. “Even if it is you.”

“Arrogance can be pricey,” I looked at her lazily, “for the likes of you.” Her demons perished midair when I flicked my finger. “Who do you think you are facing?”

Catsya tumbled back when I sauntered toward her.

“Why do you think your brother shucked your face and burnt your essence?” I sneered at her fear. “Why do you think he never attacked me all this time?” I stepped on her chest when she fell. “Because he knew what would become of him if I ever got my hands on you traitors.”

“You fucker!” I leaped in the air when Catsya shrieked. “I’ll kill you,” she opened the hell’s gate.

I watched her bemused when she raised hellfire and condensed it around her palms.

“I’m no ordinary demon,” She twisted it into a gigantic orb and threw it my way.

“And I’m no ordinary monster,” I dissipated her hellfire with a touch of my index finger.

The earth cracked open with a blast and huge lumps of dirt and lava levitated toward the sky. Catsya looked around when the buildings exploded like bubbles. The debris floated upward in the air and fused with deformed chunks of land.

The entire area was annihilated and turned to dust. I didn’t care if anyone was caught in this onslaught.

Anastasia left safely and that was the only thing that mattered to me.

“What in the hell is this?” Catsya fell back while watching the gigantic distortion morphing into a hamlet upside down. “What-”

“Agonie,” I enlightened her. “That’s what it’s called.”

“You–” Catsya limped back in fear. “Perished-”

“I can put it back in order as well.” I chuckled darkly. “Or I can make it disappear with a flick of a finger.” Catsya ran in the opposite direction. “Where to?” I appeared in front of her and grabbed her neck. “I’m going to bury you into it, Catsya. You will make excellent manure for this new land.”

I raised her in the air and slammed her face down.

“It will eat you to your last bone and then,” Her screams buried in the dirt when I hauled her forward like a jagged sack. “You look much better now.” I laughed at her bloody face. “You want to give it another shot?”

“M-ons-ter,” Catsya could barely speak. Her face was completely crushed. “You a-re a mon-”

“You have no idea,” I growled. Catsya screamed when her body was swallowed by my flames. “Your hellfire is nothing before my death flames.” I savored her agony and suffering. “You and your brother watched them kill my parents.” I hissed at her as she burnt in my hands.

“You laughed with them when my sister was crying. So what if she was a demon?” I yelled in her face. “She was still a child. Just like every other child in the world.” I plunged my sword into her abdomen.

“You fucking danced after stabbing my brothers in the back. You stomped over their bodies.” I threw her away. “Why? Because we are born of evil?” I strode toward her slowly. “Then what does it make you?”

“Me-r-cy,” Catsya grabbed my feet. “Spa-re me,” she choked on her counted breaths. “Pl-” she howled when I pulled her up by her hair.

“Wing or no wing, I am still the power I am born to be,” I took my ring from her. “Raise a hundred hells but you won’t be able to take me down. Weakness!” I chuckled. “Monsters like me have no weaknesses, Catsya. Because we devour our weaknesses before anyone can get their hands on them.”

Her wide eyes stilled when I beheaded her.

“This will make a nice gift for your brother,” I opened the vortex and threw her head in it. Her headless body was dragged by the Agonie and devoured.

“Why prod a sleeping beast?” I scoffed when the Agonie began to self-destruct.

My lips pressed in a thin line when I looked around. Anastasia gave her all to her studio. I knew she must be broken right now and badly shook.

What if she saw?

The thought was enraging. I never wanted Anastasia to see this side of me. I was going to make sure that she remained oblivious to my true monstrosities.

“Weakness!” I muttered under my breath.

Is she becoming my weakness?

“Like hell, she will,” I grunted. I saw everything in her eyes last night.

“Lyra!”

The time froze and she appeared through distorted space in the next instant.

“You are going back on your word,” she said accusingly. “You said you don’t want her.”

“I’ve changed my mind,” I faced her coldly.

“Cain!”

“I don’t give a fuck to anything” I snapped back. “I don’t care what it is. Physical hunger or whatever. I want her.”

“It will kill her,” Lyra screamed. “You cannot be selfish.”

“She is mine, isn’t she?” I interjected calmly. “I won’t stay away from her.” I stepped toward her intimidatingly. “I don’t trust everything you say. You kept lying to the very end.”

“You could be lying now just because you don’t want to see me next to her.” I scoffed when Lyra looked away from me. “You are doing no good by being secretive, Lyra. Just because you hate me.”

“What’s wrong in protecting my child’s heart from breaking?” She looked me in the eye. “You don’t intend to love her. You just want to satiate your lust.”

“She is mine, Lyra,” I muttered darkly. “She is mine in every fucking way until I say otherwise.”

We kept glaring at each other.

“Meet the Erlking,” Lyra sighed tiredly. “Harold met him before he came to you. I am not entirely sure but Harold played a big part in everything. Erlking is the mole and he knows everything about the curse. The Wenix do.”

“I’m going to wipe him out to his last kin if it’s true,” I whispered darkly.

“Did you give my pendant to Anastasia?” Lyra inquired. I nodded curtly. “I didn’t lie but I’m not going to come between you two anymore. I have no right.” She smiled bitterly.

“Make sure Anastasia wears that pendant until you break the curse. It was not to keep her from you.” Her eyes glazed over. “It was to protect her in case you two ever met and came close.” Lyra breathed out shakily. “I’ll see what I can do. Just be careful. I have a feeling Harold is going to move now.”

“I am waiting for it,” Lyra nodded and disappeared. “You are right, my love,” I opened the portal to my estate. “It is tiring to ignore each other all the time.”

She will be everything but my weakness.

****

Anastasia’s POV

The news called it an earthquake of massive scale. It eradicated the entire neighborhood from its root.

Everyone was believing it blindly. I had no qualms about why. Some story was needed to cover the ugly and scary truth.

How easy it was to fool the humans?

Shae got hurt before my eyes. My studio burnt to the ground. I almost lost my life.

What if Cain hadn’t come?

What if...

“Are you okay?” Angie startled me out of my thoughts.

“I’m fine,” I smiled forcefully. “Things happen all the time. I’m glad that Shae is out of danger.” I rubbed my neck with both hands. “I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if anything happened to her.”

“You don’t have to force yourself to be brave in front of us,” Nat grabbed my hand. “We know. We understand and we are here for you.”

“I’m sorry,” I rubbed my face tiredly. “I’m ruining this for you two.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Angie chastised. “It’s just a wedding and we have enough days. You can sulk all you want and feel better. I’m glad that you came with us.”

I didn’t want to but I was forced to. Cain didn’t even let me meet Shae. He sent her back to Acreoterra. She would return once she was fully healed.

I thought Cain would stop me but he asked me to leave. He left no room for arguments.

I couldn’t decide whether he was being considerate or insensitive.

Cain didn’t ask me even once if I was alright or not. I guess he didn’t give a dime if it didn’t affect his wing.

The thought hurt me even more.

“Ana?” Nat called me when I zoned out again. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” I mumbled dejectedly. “That studio was all I had. I invested everything in it.”

“We’ll sort this out once we go back,” Nat said firmly. “You should take this time to relax and recover.” I nodded. “You have us, remember?”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “I don’t know what I would have done if I was alone.”

“You are not,” Angie winked at me. “I think that’s enough serious talk for now. Let’s go out. We only have today to explore Issaquah. Let’s go and have some fun.”

“What are you talking about? Who is going where?” Joan joined us in the living room. She dropped the shopping bags on the floor and huffed. “Did you girls eat? I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you company. I needed to buy a few things.”

“It’s alright, mom,” Angie said dismissively. “They know Scott’s being a royal pain-” Angie left the sentence hanging at Joan’s murderous glare. “We ate.”

“I’m sorry, Ana,” Joan looked at me with concern. “I saw the news. It was terrible. Are you alright?”

“She is fine, mom.” Angie intervened. “Please, don’t bring it up. We are trying to distract her here.” Joan glared at her again.

They bore great resemblance except for their attitude.

“Are rooms ready?” Joan asked her. “I don’t want Scott to add to my headache if his friends and Diana’s parents’ rooms are not ready” She sighed tiredly. “Your father already has his hands full with the preparations in Snoqualmie” she rubbed her temples. “God, there is still so much to do.”

“God, mom!” Angie groaned, “We are only spending a night here. What’s the big deal?” Angie whined. “I’ve told you tons of times that Linda prepared all the rooms. I double-checked everything. Everything is cool.”

Angie scowled at Joan’s poker face.

“Ask Scott to move his limbs if he has a problem with everything. He is only getting married.” She snorted. “Why did we need to come here? Or go to Grampy’s home. It’s insane. They could have gotten married in Seattle. Like seriously!” She made a face. “So much drama!”

“Shut up before I chop your tongue,” Joan censured. “You can never grow up.”

“Can we help?” I asked.

“You girls relax and enjoy,” Joan smiled at us tenderly. “I’ll let you know if I need any help.”

“We are going out,” Angie dragged us up. “We deserve peace and fun too.”

“You can go wherever you want but after receiving your guests,” Joan said sternly. “You didn’t tell me whether they will be staying here or at the hotel.”

“Who is coming?” I asked Angie. “Your smile is creeping me out.”

“I just invited some...friends!” Angie chuckled nervously.

“It sounds like trouble to me,” Nat fixed her with a glare. “What did you do this time?”

“Hey!” Scott came with two guys. “Hey girls,” he hugged us. “Glad you could make it.”

“We could never miss your big day,” I grinned at him.

“Nat, Ana,” Scott gestured towards us. “Meet Russell and Travis. We have known each other since high school because of our dads.”

“Hey,” Russell greeted us and Travis nodded. “Nice to meet you.” His eyes roamed back to me.

“Likewise,” Nat nodded in return and looked at me. She noticed the same thing as well.

“Are you going somewhere?” Scott asked us.

“We are going out,” Angie told him.

“Do you mind if we join you?” Russell asked. “We’d like to do some sightseeing as well.”

I didn’t miss the flirtatious gaze.

Russell wasn’t bad-looking. He was a complete hunk with his built, brown hair, and hazel eyes. Travis was equally well built and handsome.

But Russell’s over-friendliness and smile were creeping me out.

He looked like a womanizer.

“You said you were dead ass tired,” Scott cocked a brow at him.

“I’m fine,” Russell smirked and looked back at us. Me specifically. “So?”

“Yeah, sure,” Angie said excitedly. “We don’t mind. The more the merrier, right?” She looked at us.

Angie, you idiot.

I didn’t need to look at Nat to confirm. Our thoughts were the same right now.

“Let’s go then,” Russell said excitedly.

I didn’t want him to come but I couldn’t say it out loud. He was Scott’s friend and they seemed pretty close.

I hope Russell proved my suspicion wrong about him.

“Let’s go in my car.” Russell fell in step with me and Nat. “You will love it and I will love you in it.”

I was wrong. He was a snob on top of being a womanizer.

“No thanks,” I kept my head straight.

Angie and Scott got into a heated discussion over some wedding preparation. Travis didn’t seem like he was much of a crowd person. He was walking by himself with his eyes glued to his phone.

“So,” Nat looked at Russell incredulously when he very sneakily sandwiched himself between us. “Ana, right? What do you do?” He kept inching closer to me.

“She is a designer,” Nat answered on my behalf.

“Wow,” Russell whistled. “I should have guessed. I mean you have a killer body.”

“What does my body have to do with my profession?” I scowled at his cocky expressions.

“Everything,” Russell winked at me. “You are smoking hot, babe. I bet you’d look even sexier on the ramp.”

Everyone stopped when I stopped.

“Hey, bud?” Scott tried to deflect the tension. “Don’t bother her.”

“Chill,” Russel brushed off Scott. “I’m just trying to befriend her.” He smiled at me seductively. “You are single?”

“No,” the answer came from behind him.

“Cain?” My eyes widened in surprise. “What?” I looked at Aeron and Xic in confusion. Cain pushed past Russell and stood in front of me.

“Angie!” Nat looked at her murderously. “Explain.”

“Ha-ha!” Angie laughed nervously. “They are the guests mom was talking about.” We looked at her in disbelief. “Surprise!”

“Who are you?” Russell asked Cain arrogantly. “Do you know him, Ana?”

“Oh shit,” Nat whistled in the background.

I was sure now.

Russell was a muscled buffoon. His brain couldn’t process the killing air around Cain.

“Anastasia,” Cain faced him menacingly. “Her name is Anastasia.” I gasped in surprise when he grabbed my waist and held me possessively. “Does this answer your question?”

“He is your boyfriend or something?” Russell asked again dumbly.

“Prepare for a funeral too, Scott,” Angie snickered. “Your stupid friend just invited death.”

I could not believe the nerve of this guy. He was challenging Cain. Bloody moron was inviting trouble for everyone.

“I’m her husband-to-be,” Cain replied before I could. A what? “She is my fiancée.” He looked at me and smirked devilishly. “And soon to be wife.”