AZURA
It was a blur; he had moved us at lightning speed, and I could barely see anything on our way here. The moment we were brought into this cave, I was able to summon my power a little, but it isn’t enough, and before I can do anything, he grabs Corrado and shoves him away from me.
“Stop it!” I shout, pushing him violently as I try to run to Corrado, who is sobbing. I can see he’s bruised his forehead.
“I’m not done with you. I should have shown you who was boss that night when you refused to kill that pup,” he hisses, grabbing me by the collar and tearing my top off.
My stomach twists as that night returns to me. He had tried to rape me… in front of his so-called gang; he had tried to come onto me, but he hadn’t stopped until the sound of sirens approaching had made them all clear out. I had gotten away from the worst that night...
I can see it in his eyes. He wants to do the same now. Only this time, I’m weakened, and I’m pregnant.
“Judah… don’t,” I warn. My entire body is burning with hatred. I have never hated someone as much as I do Judah.
“I’m in charge here!” He slams me onto the floor, straddling me, and I struggle against him as he slashes into my shoulder. No… no!
The first thing that I think of is how dark it is in here. I’m glad Corrado can’t see what’s going on. But… I will not let him do this. I’m stronger now. I’m no longer scared of him.
I fight back as we roll around on the floor. He may be strong, but I’m not fucking weak, and I can tell my power and strength surprise him. He roars and swipes me across the head. My head spins, and I’m knocked against the wall. My vision darkens for a second, but when he launches himself at me, I raise my leg, kicking him between the legs, and I feel my power surge forward. Soon… soon, I’ll have it back. He keeps punching me, but my only aim is to protect my stomach, and I take them, wincing when he begins to target my face. I can see the satisfaction in his eyes with every blow, and I spit at him.
“Bastard!”
He snarls, baring his teeth at me as he digs his hands into my shoulder and waist. I hiss at the searing pain, but I refuse to give in as he tries to dig deeper into my shoulder, almost as if he wants to rip my arm off.
“Get off me!” I growl, my aura beginning to return. I see the worry and surprise in his eyes. Sure, he had brought us here super fast, and the cave entrance had slammed shut instantly behind us, but I don’t think he realised how fast my abilities would return.
I’m still awake… despite the pain he inflicted on me… I’m holding on… I need to stall for time… I’m strong, but I have Corrado with me.
He’s looking down at me now with anger burning in his gaze. His hands are bloody from where he had clawed into me.
“I’ll show you your place,” he spits and rushes to the far side of the cave. I crawl to Corrado, who seems to be falling unconscious, and hold him close. He hurt my baby…
I glance over at Judah, seeing him grab a syringe. No, I don’t think so. The effect of the poison Eric had somehow slipped into our food had partially worn off, and, taking a deep breath, I focus my all on summoning a barrier. Judah strides towards me, anger and darkness swirling around him. Come on…. Come on!
My eyes blaze, and I feel the tug from within before a dazzling barrier lights up the entire cave, blocking me from Judah. He freezes, and I see the anger contorting his face. He’s watching me, and I know as long as I can keep the shield up, he can’t touch me, but if this barrier goes down… he will kill me.
“You are mine, and you won’t be able to keep that shield up forever now, will you?” He spits, slamming on it only to hiss, and I can see he’s burnt his hand. He steps back and turns away. “You just forwarded the time of your death,” he snarls.
“We’ll see,” I throw back, one hand still raised as I hold the shield, the other caressing my son’s hair.
His head is bleeding. Is he okay? His heartbeat is steady, but I’m still so worried. I move him closer to me with one arm, kissing his head softly. I wish he wasn’t here with me but safe with Leo. I brought Judah into his life… guilt fills me, and I glare at the bastard's back as he walks over to a long table against the far wall and begins to work on something that seems to be really important since he seems to have suddenly forgotten about Corrado and me… for now.
I press my head against my shoulder where he had attacked me, wanting to stop the bleeding. My face hurts, and I know it’s probably covered in bruises, and he has split my lip, but as long as both my pups are okay, I’ll be fine…
I look around the cave. I can feel the evil in this place… and I don’t need to be a genius to figure out where I am. I have felt this evil before. The caverns… Endora’s caverns… only that evil feeling is far stronger inside this room.
“You will run out of energy soon enough, freak, and this is a place that even the moon goddess’ light will not penetrate. I’ll bide my time, and then you’re mine. You will soon tire,” he snarls as he looks at me over his shoulder.
I smirk. He really doesn’t know me… what I can do on willpower alone… if I didn’t have my children with me, it might be different, but with them here, I will not give up.
I remember around eight years ago, I had wanted to tattoo my entire body, so it looked like I was a living voodoo doll. I’d wanted to get the weave knit all over my skin with the stitches and have buttons drawn over my eyelids. Yeah, now thinking back, I’m glad I didn’t… although I don’t think Leo would have minded a fully inked voodoo doll. Anyway, Mama was like, 'no', full stop, and so I had gone on strike. I stayed awake for seven days, refusing to eat or talk. I just sat there with a paper that read either I was allowed to get tatted, or I just wouldn’t move or talk ever again. Well, after the seventh day, I collapsed, but the point is I can last on pure stubbornness if I have to, and I know we’ll be found soon…
“Why are you in this cave?” I ask. Whilst I’m here, I can at least get some answers from him.
“A place that holds power… this is the best place for me to take what I want. Thanks to the Garrons brothers, I was able to get in.” He looks around the cavern, and I frown. But isn’t this place impossible to get into?
“Oh? How exactly did two mere werewolves get in here?” Judah turns, placing the knife he is holding down in the centre of a stone slab and leaning against the table.
“You know, aren’t you getting a little too nosy?”
“We have time.” I counter.
He smirks coldly, “We do… I missed your feisty temper. That anger you just showed tells me that you belong with me. You know, no one can get into this place… soon you’ll run out of energy, and then… then I’ll take what I need to.”
“What exactly do you want from me, Judah?” I ask coldly.
“For someone like me…” He walks toward me and crouches down on the other side of my barrier. “This essence of yours. You know, baby, when I was with you, I felt alive… I want that power forever… and since you don’t wish to stay with me… then I’ve found a way to take it.”
I frown, glaring at him, but I don’t say anything in return. There’s no fucking way he’s going to get me, plus I doubt he could just take it… but I am not about to question that. I want answers.
“So, how did the Garrons know how to get in here?” I ask.
He smirks, “Well, they were rather key to the witch who resided here years ago.” He looks around. Key? He scans the walls. There are symbols etched into the cavern walls, stains that look disturbingly like old blood stains…
“Not going to ask how they are key?”
“One's dead, and the second will soon be, too. It’s not important, but since we have time to kill, do enlighten me,” I say coldly. I can feel the evil tugging at my power, trying to get to me.
“Emmet and Eric Garrons were children that held a unique darkness in them… powerful dark magic that was put inside of them. The witch created living vessels for dark energy. When in battle, she would be able to draw on these vessels. They are like reserves of power,” he explains, looking at the dagger on the table. “So, when you bleed dry your power, you have a backup. Only she had many… but they weren’t easy to make, and only a few witches in time were ever able to create such vessels. I have the ability to see energies, and when I first saw the younger brother, I saw the evil that shrouded his heart… the powerful essence of a dark witch, and after her death, with their own hatred, it thrived…” He means Endora.
“Endora…” I say slowly. Judah nods.
“She was always power hungry… but she didn’t just talk the talk, she walked the walk. Endora was always like that.” He seems impressed by her. Why is he talking about her as if he knew her?
“So, are you saying those with darkness in them can open this cave?” I ask.
“With her essence and, yes, darkness, well done, pet. You are learning well. Your so-called man was also one of her chosen vessels, but unlike them, he was conflicted, and that conflict was the reason his body began rejecting the darkness. He had too much good in him to hold that power. Despite his bitterness and hatred, he still held light. I saw the strain that rejecting the darkness took on him on that rooftop when we fought…”
So that was it? The experiments she had done on Leo were to place her power inside of him as a backup… and his body had rejected it.
Judah continues as his eyes skim over my barrier, “I saw that he was dying, and I hoped he’d die before I came for you, but you had to go heal him, didn’t you?” His anger and resentment grow, and he glares at my stomach. “You belong to me, yet you betrayed me. You let another man fuck you and impregnate you.”
“I belong to Leo. I am pregnant with my mate’s child,” I snap coldly, turning my head so he can see my mark. The crescent moon with flames behind it, stars, and a lotus. “Isn’t this proof enough?”
“Well, I’d like to see how he lives without you because your time is running out. Then again, he’ll be dying soon, too,” he says darkly as he turns back to the table. “Those two gave me enough information for me to know Leo Rossi’s weaknesses.” I frown, thinking about what he said about Emmet and Eric.
“He has none,” I snarl.
“Doesn’t he? He has many,” Judah shoots back menacingly. “The man who cares for his pack so dearly… I wonder if he’s coming for you or trying to protect the pack that is currently going up in flames due to the bombs placed there by Eric. At least he was useful before he ends up dead, if he isn't already.” My heart thunders as I stare at him.
“Why harm the innocent?” I shout, fearing for the lives of my pack members.
“Because I told you to come to me, and you didn't!” He shoots back.
We glare back at each other, and I have to tell myself that Leo will find the bombs and hopefully come for us soon…
Judah is purely selfish. He really doesn't care about anyone but himself, speaking of Eric so casually. Not that I could forgive Eric anyway.
“How did you ever meet the Garrons? What did you offer Emmet and Eric in return for their help?” I ask, trying not to show my burning rage.
“Power. They would rule that pack, and I’d take care of the Alpha and his son. I’m not interested in werewolves and their packs. I just want power, a different kind of power.”
“Werewolves? Why talk about us as if you aren’t one of us?” I know he isn’t one, but I want to know what he is.
“Because I’m not.” He tilts his head and smirks.
“And what are you then?” I ask coldly.
“I’m not about to tell you that.”
“Fine… so how did you meet the brothers?”
“How we met… evil attracts evil… they were looking for someone to help them, and they… let’s just say they sought out my help.” I can see the anger in his eyes at those words. His entire body has tensed. What is that about? “Now, how about you stop being a bitch and lower that shield?” His eyes are full of rage that he is trying to hide, and I know the conversation is done. “We’re done talking.”
How will they open this cave without anyone holding Endora’s essence? Will anyone find me here? I push those thoughts away, and glare at him.
“I think we’re ready,” he says.
He picks up the knife he had placed down earlier, and I see the red liquid that wraps around it. It evaporates, becoming black smoke, and he walks towards me. I tense, reinforcing my shield, but he doesn’t stop. Suddenly, he’s right in front of the shield, and he slams the knife into it. I gasp, feeling the impact as the shadow begins spreading over my shield. His smile widens, and my eyes blaze as I slowly place Corrado’s head on the ground, reinforcing the shield fully. My eyes flash as he raises his knife, bringing it down on the barrier again. I blast it back, and he’s thrown against the far side of the cavern, but he’s up in seconds.
“You can’t kill me, you bitch!” He snarls, and, in a flash, he’s in front of me, but I have my barrier back up.
No, I can’t, and that is why I need to conserve energy.
My eyes don’t leave him, and his dart to the dagger. Quickly, I move my foot forward and drag the knife closer to me and out of his reach at super speed.
“No!” He roars, slamming into my barrier. “I will kill you!” His shouting makes Corrado stir, and he wakes up, wrapping his arms around my leg.
“Mommy…”
“It’s going to be okay, baby,” I say as Judah slams himself against the barrier once again. I flinch at the force, and I see it, the black smoke that seems to be oozing from him. What is he? I hiss when the force of his next throw forces me back, but I stay braced. I will hold my ground. “We are going to get out of here soon, my cherub. Just… close your eyes,” I say softly to Corrado, my eyes blazing as they remain fixed on Judah. He’s trying to weaken me, and he is succeeding… I just have to hold on as long as I can...
“Your heart will be mine, Azura! Your essence will be mine!”
I can taste blood in my mouth as I keep the barrier strong. Until help arrives, I have to keep our pups safe… Leo...
“Always remember, no matter what crap comes your way, that the first person who comes to your mind will always be there for you.”
I smile faintly.
Leo. Leo will come for us.