‘Alpha Maximus, Luna,’ Talon says to my parents as we face them in the dining hall. ‘We have to put Lord Atticus to an end. Over one hundred years ago, he went on a murderous killing spree. He even killed our father as well as beloved members of our coven.’
‘Your brother is who’s responsible for all of these deaths? For Micah’s death?’ Theo asks.
‘Unfortunately, yes. He is my brother. We had managed to send him through a portal into an abyss of darkness. Since he freed himself over a year ago, he began where he had left off, continuing to kill and murder whilst growing in strength by feeding off his victims. He knows Lylah is my Blood Flame and, unfortunately, has managed to taste her blood. He would have figured out not long after we escaped from him that the small taste of Lylah’s blood he had, has greatly strengthened him much more than anything else he has ever fed off. Lylah’s blood is unlike anyone else's. Just one cut, one drop, can send any vampire within a distance into a blood-lusting craze. Her blood wreaks of pure power.’
My father stands from his seat. ‘If you and my daughter can put your differences aside and learn to love each other. Then our races can put our differences aside and fight together as one. Nathan, Alex, Theo and Leo. Contact all the packs. They are to prepare themselves and join the fight against Lord Atticus immediately. Make sure Alpha Varan and Alpha Greg are contacted first. I will organise our warriors now, he says, leaving the room.
Nathan, Alex, Theo and Leo also leave the hall.
‘So what do we do, now?’ Amara asks.
‘We prepare ourselves,’ I say, grabbing Talon’s hands and leading him to my bedroom.
He looks around my chambers, taking in everything and touching everything in curiosity. He smirks when he sees my table covered in dozens of daggers as I place the one Micah made me amongst them. The wand my mother gifted is also there. I open my drawer and pull out a fresh pair of my black leggings, baldric, black tank top and a hair tie, placing them on my bed. I gesture for Talon to untie the back of my dress. I let it slide from my shoulders and drop onto the floor. I put fresh underwear on and then my leggings. Talon hands me my black crop top. I take it and put it on, then take my baldric, draping it over my shoulder. I sit on my bed, pull my knee-high cavalier boots on, and lace them up tightly. I walk over to my dresser and brush my hair before tying it in a high ponytail. Talon then hands me my special dagger that I kiss before sheathing it into my baldric. I turn my head enough to see the exposed scars on my back through my mirror and frown. As I grab my hoodie, Talon places his hand over mine.
‘Do you want to wear it, or is it to hide the scars from everyone?’ he asks.
‘To hide them,’ I reply.
‘Lylah,’ he says, tossing my hoodie aside and gently grasping my chin with his thumb and index finger. ‘These scars are part of who you are. These scars tell a story of how strong and courageous you are. These scars show everyone no matter what comes your way. You will never be defeated. These scars are reminders of someone you love and should never be forgotten. So, show them proudly like the armour these scars have become.’
‘You’re right,’ I reply as I face myself in the mirror. ‘I’m ready now,’ I say with determination.
Talon takes my hand, and I look around my room, knowing this is no longer my home now. I leave my room for the last time. Memories of Micah climbing through my window with a smile on his face flash through my mind. The moments we cuddled up and giggled in my bed. The pillow fights and the moments we fell off the bed together, laughing on the floor. ‘Lylah,’ I hear Micah whisper. I grip Talon’s hand tighter and smile at him as we walk down the stairs together.
My father has the warriors gathered outside, ready to disembark. It’s not long until all the surrounding packs arrive, including Alpha Greg and Alpha Varan.
I make eye contact with Alpha Varan. He looks as depressed as the day I last saw him. Alpha Greg breaks our eye contact, stepping in front of me and pulling me in for a hug.
‘Lylah. I’m so pleased to see you, and who is this strapping young lad?’ he asks, eyeing Talon up and down.
‘This is my Blood Flame, my mate, Lord Talon,’ I tell him.
‘Blessed with a second mate, hey? Well, I’ll be damned by the stars,’ he says. ‘Most will never witness anyone in their lifetime having the blessing of a second mate. It’s incredibly rare. I’m happy for you, Lylah. I supposed this means you won’t become a warrior for the pack, though?’
‘No, but I could perhaps become a warrior for the coven?’ I say, now staring at Talon.
‘You’re supposed to be the lady of the coven now,’ Talon says.
‘Talon! You even agreed that I wasn’t a lady when I said I wasn’t one!’ I argue.
‘Hmm, did I? I don’t recall,’ he smiles teasingly.
‘Let me help you recollect your memories then, Talon. It was moments before I tried to kill you for the fiftieth time by throwing a blunt butter knife at your head!’
Theo and Leo burst into laughter behind us.
‘That definitely sounds like our sister,’ Leo laughs.
‘It sounds like our dear little sister kept you well and truly on your toes?’ Theo adds.
‘You have no idea,’ Talon says to them.
‘Everyone ready yourselves! We will be heading east any minute now,’ my father shouts.
‘Talon, before we leave. There is one last person I need to see.’
He nods and follows me. I enter the garden outside my window and kneel on Micah’s grave.
‘Micah,’ I say, staring at his gravestone. ‘I wish you had told me your secret. I wish I’d known that you knew you were going to die by protecting me. I miss you so much, Micah. It still hurts every time I think of you.’
A tear drops from my face and lands on his grave. My dagger begins to flicker, giving off light. ‘Lylah,’ I hear Micah whisper, but Talon flinches as if he had also heard the whisper and stares at my dagger in awe. I look down and withdraw it. The eye above the fuller, Micah carved. It now looks and moves like a real eye. I recognise it immediately as Micah’s eye.
‘Micah?’ I say.
A heavy wind suddenly flows through me. ‘Micah! I love you so much!’
I close my eyes. I’m suddenly brought back to the moment I held Micah before he died in my arms.
‘Don’t cry, my sweet princess,’ Micah whispers, ‘I will always be here with you. I will always be by your side in spirit and have my happily ever after with you. But Lylah. Your life doesn’t end here with me. More is waiting for you, and I want you to find it. You will go on adventures. I know you will find someone and fall in love all over again. I want you to find happiness. I want you to live again and know it’s okay to be happy without me,’ he whispers.
I lean down and kiss Micah’s lips for the last time.
‘Forever in spirit, by your side always,’ he whispers.
‘Lylah! Lylah!’ I can feel hands on my shoulders, shaking me as my mind returns to the present time being on Micah’s grave. Talon is kneeling in front of me with worry.
‘Talon?’
‘Yes, it’s me. What happened? Your eyes and the eye on the dagger suddenly glazed over silver. You couldn’t hear me, and you stopped moving.’
I look down at the dagger to see the sable eye moving and blinking. ‘It’s Micah. I saw him again. He said he would always be with me by my side in spirit. I get it now!’ I say, standing with a smile. ‘Part of Micah is in this dagger. Micah wasn’t kidding when he said he had carved his eye in the dagger so he could always keep his eye on me. He said he would always be by my side! Don’t you get it? The dagger is always by my side, whether it’s tucked in my belt or sheathed in my baldric. Micah has always been with me from the moment he died, here in this very dagger. His spirit has always been with me! This is why I could hear him whisper my name all those times. It was him, after all, who helped lead me out of the labyrinth!’
‘Wait. I wondered how in the wands you were able to find your way out of there!’ Talon says.
‘Micah said he knew I would find love again. He knew you and I would meet and that we would also be fated mates. Micah must have seen how happy you had made me in the future, which was why he was at peace with dying. This is why Micah didn’t tell me he could see the future because he didn’t want me to stop him from dying. He wanted me to live my life on with you,’ I explain.
Talon and I stare at each other in shock.
‘I don’t know what to say. If Micah had never died, you might never have become my Blood Flame. He must have been able to see my life as well. Micah must have known all I wanted in life was to find my Blood Flame, to love her and cherish her as if she was the most precious thing in this entire universe. Micah died for us to be together, for us to find love and happiness with each other,’ Talon says.
Talon looks down at my dagger and glides his fingers across the blade of the Moon Stone. ‘I won’t let your death be in vain, Micah. You sacrificed your life knowing Lylah would learn to love again and that I would love her just as much as you did and no less. There will never be a day I will ever let Lylah feel she isn’t loved and appreciated. You have my word,’ Talon says.
Micah's eye looks at Talon and blinks. I kneel back on his grave, kiss my fingers and then press my fingers on his gravestone. ‘I will always love you, Micah, now and forever. I love you always,’ I say.
I stand, sheathing the dagger back in my baldric and take Talon’s hand.
‘All in order!’ I hear my father shout.