Axel gets up so quick he upends the one-seater beneath him. “No fucking way!”
“That nearly killed her.” Luka’s voice grows deeper as he snarls at Rielle. The others are just as bad as their beasts come to the surface.
Soren gives her a look as if to say, what did you expect? She tries to act patient, giving each of my men an understanding look, but I can see it’s wearing on her. The stakes are too high now to try anything else. “I understand your concerns, but your bond is no ordinary bond. You proved that by healing her.”
Kai pulls me closer to him, as if he can shield me from her words. I elbow him in the stomach, but the fucker just smiles at me, placing a kiss on my shoulder before narrowing his eyes at Rielle. “We got lucky. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.”
Rielle’s eyes soften. “It wasn’t luck. You are all truly connected now. One cannot die without the other. Once one of you is still breathing, the rest will be too.”
Wait… Did she just say what I think she said?
The guys pause, glancing at one another, probably wondering the same thing.
Kai looks to Rielle, voicing our question. “You’re saying that if we get hurt, seriously hurt to the point where none of us can heal that once one of us is still alive, the rest will be fine?”
Rielle nods. “Exactly. Your bond is that entwined with one another. Add Erebus’s power and you’re unstoppable.”
The air around us shifts as the realization of what this means for us hits us all.
“It’s about fucking time we get a break.” We glance over at Jax as he nods his head.
“What? It is. If it’s not fucking King or demons, it’s something else. At least I know now that once one of us is breathing, Kiarra will be okay.”
He says it like it’s the only thing that matters to him making my heart fucking melt. The guys smile at him before glancing at me, giving me a look that they too feel the same.
I shake my head at the idiots, but the smile doesn’t leave my face. Not even when Jax narrows his eyes on Rielle. “She’s still not going after King, though. So, figure something else out.”
Luka nods. “Agreed.”
I let them voice their concerns, ultimately knowing that this is the only way. But I also couldn’t just blatantly disregard their feelings either. Especially after what just happened with the core.
The deep-rooted fear of losing someone doesn’t go away because we’re invincible. There’s always that worry that this time it might not work. It’s probably one of the reasons they’re always telling me they don’t care if I can heal just in case something happens that’s out of our control.
Some things are out of our control but that doesn’t mean I have to take on everything by myself either.
I learned the hard way that I’m no longer alone. Not with the people I care about around me. Not with them by my side.
But if I want to keep those loved ones safe, I’m going to have to fight to protect them. Hopefully with my men by my side.
“Siren?”
“Mm?” I glance over at Rion.
“You’re very quiet. Would you like to add anything?” Rion smirks as I narrow my eyes on him. He knows damn well I’ve already made up my mind.
I guess I should let the others know, too.
“I need to go after King, and end this once and for all. There’s no one else that can take the power from him. You all know it. This won’t end until I do.” I glance over at Jax, he opens his mouth to object, but I cut him off.
“And then we’ll never get to that sunny Island.”
Jax shuts his mouth, smirking. “Fine. We destroy King and then we have our fun.”
Axel cuts him a glare. “It’s not just your decision to make.”
Jax shrugs, the smirk not leaving his face as his eyes trail down my body once more. “What Kiarra wants, she gets. Even if I have to fight an army from Hell to do it.”
Kai’s grip tightens on me, his body turning stiff, while Luka glances up to Rion, nodding his head before looking back at me with a resigned look on his face.
“Kiarra—” I turn around to Kai. “I’m not doing this alone. We’ll do it together. We’ll watch out for one another.” I glance around at them, showing each of them just how much I mean it.
“I promise.”
Kai’s tense body eases as he sighs, looking straight at me. He searches for something in my eyes and after a moment, he nods. “If anything happens to you, know that I’ll never give up searching. Not this time. I’ll rip apart every inch of the afterlife to find you.”
Jax frowns. “The afterlife?”
“There’s no way Kiarra would end up here. Her soul is too fucking beautiful for anything other than paradise.” Kai smirks as he leans in and places a soft kiss on my lips. It’s enough to make me crave more and he knows it as he pulls back, his smirk growing.
Jax nods. “Makes sense.” He turns to Rielle and Soren. “If I ever end up down here, I’d advise you to send me straight to my mate or the Hell you knew will have been a vacation after I’m finished fucking it up.”
Soren gives him a deadpan look. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. Your presence here alone makes me want to leave.”
Before Jax gets to reply, Kai cuts him off with a look.
“We all agree?” Kai glances around as everyone nods or grunts their agreement before looking at me. “We stick together. No matter what happens.”
I salute him, giving him a cheeky smile. “Yes, Alpha.”
Kai narrows his eyes as they darken while the others chuckle around us. I raise a brow, feeling something hard grow beneath me. “That’s all it takes?”
I shift, and his grip tightens. “When it comes to you, yes,” he grits out as if he’s in physical pain.
He slowly leans forward, his gaze dipping to my lips as I wet them. Before he gets any closer, Rielle clears her throat, reminding me we’re not the only people in the room.
I turn around and wince at the uncomfortable look she gives me. I try to slide off onto another chair, but his grip tightens, not letting me.
He chuckles as I give up and try to give my full attention to Rielle while he rubs small circles on my hip with his thumb.
“Once you’ve taken his power, King needs to be brought back here and absorbed at the core to fully restore the balance. Soren will go with you.” She turns to him. “…and if anything happens to her while she’s with you—”
“You’ll send me to Hell? Oh, wait…” Soren clicks his fingers, giving her a wink.
Jax chuckles. “I knew there was a sense of humor in there somewhere.”
Soren rolls his eyes at him, but I catch the slight tilt to his lips as he leaves the room.
Rielle looks at my men. “May I have a moment with Kiarra?”
The guys hesitate.
“Please.” It’s the soft plea that makes them move. Reluctantly.
Luka, Rion and Axel follow Soren. I get up and watch Kai do the same, adjusting himself while narrowing his eyes at me, shaking his head.
My smirk grows, dropping quickly when the dick releases some alpha power. He leaves the room, chuckling to himself.
Jax narrows his eyes on Rielle before walking over to me. “We’ll be outside.” He leans in, slamming his lips to mine. Before I even get a taste, he pulls back, groaning and leaving me in a daze. He smirks down at me, taking a step back and making a move for the door.
“Miss you, already.”
Once they’re gone, I turn back to Rielle just as a warm smile spreads across her face. “I thought you might want to meet someone. But we only have a couple of minutes. So, we have to be quick.”
Rielle quickly disappears and reappears beside me with a small pile of clothes in her hands.
“Here, put these on. You’ll be heading straight on to Manhattan after this. I think you’ll be more comfortable in these.”
Thanking her for the clothes, I throw them on while wondering who she wants me to meet from Hell.
“Who do you—” The floor shifts beneath us, similar to when we were moving between realms. The walls and room soon disappear, morphing into a mixture of shades and colors before everything turns dark.
Just before I start to panic, light slowly filters in around me as I step into a vast green field full of colorful flowers. A warm breeze kisses my face as I glance up and find a beautiful blue cloudless sky with the sun shining down on me.
Rielle comes up beside me, a soft smile on her face.
“Where are we?” I glance around to find the field is endless. There’s a warmth inside me that makes me feel like I’m safe and loved. It’s nothing like the familiarity of the Underworld but it still makes me feel like I’m coming home.
I look to Rielle hoping to get some answers but she’s smiling at something behind me. I turn to see what it is when my heart stutters to a stop, before picking up speed. My body is frozen, my eyes wide as I struggle to understand what I’m seeing.
Or who.
“Mom.” My heart beats like a drum in my ears drowning out the sounds around me. I glance back at Rielle, wondering if this is just another illusion but the smile she’s wearing doesn’t look forced or fake.
But I still don’t believe it. How can I?
Maybe I passed out, and this is all a dream? Or an illusion?
“She’s real.”
Two little words and my world tips on its axis. The knots in my stomach turn to butterflies, hundreds of them as they take flight.
“How? … How is this possible?”
Rielle looks to me. “I called in a few favors. It’s only for a few minutes, but I thought you’d like to see her. You never got the chance to say goodbye.”
I glance back at the one person I’ve wanted to see more than anything in this world. She stands there patiently waiting. A soft smile on her face.
“I can’t see her again after this?”
Rielle shakes her head, a sad smile on her face. “We have rules to keep the balance. But you’ll meet again someday.”
Someday… But someday isn’t today and today, I get to see her… hug her.
I move to take a step forward but stop. What if I wake up just as I reach her? What if this really is a dream? It’s too good to be true.
As if sensing my hesitation, Rielle places her hand on my back and gives me a little push.
“Go. Spend time with your mother. I’m sure she’s missed you just as much as you have her.”
I push myself forward, telling myself that this is real. That she’s real. I concentrate on one step in front of the other and before I know it, I’m standing in front of her.
“Kiarra.” She smiles and it’s just as warm as I remember. She takes the last step toward me, enveloping me in a hug.
A sob catches my throat as her scent of fresh roses surrounds me.
“My brave, beautiful girl. I’ve missed you.” She gently pulls back and wipes my tears away.
“I’ve missed you too… So much.” I pull her back into a hug, not wanting to let her go for even a moment.
“I can’t stay long, but I need you to know how sorry I am for leaving you. And the trials you face ahead.”
I shake my head, holding onto her as tight as I can. “It’s not your fault and I’m not alone anymore.”
“Your boys?” She gives me a knowing smile. “I knew you’d all always find your way back to one another, fated mates always do.”
My eyes widen. “You knew we were mates?”
“From the minute you met them.” She shakes her head laughing. The soft tinkle warming something inside my chest making me smile.
“They followed you everywhere. One time, they asked me if they could live with you and even went so far as to offer to sleep out in the backyard.”
She raises a brow, a twinkle in her eye. “When you were kids, Jax asked me for your hand in marriage but promised to share you with his brothers.”
A laugh tumbles out of me. Even back then Jax was just as crazy.
My mom’s eyes find mine and I’m too afraid to blink in case she suddenly disappears. “If anyone other than the five of them came even close to you, they’d go crazy. If you were upset, they did everything to make you laugh.”
I nod, smiling to myself. “They’re still like that.”
Her face lights up the more she speaks, that twinkle in her eye full of warmth. “You were just as bad. They were your guys and no one else’s. No one could even get a look in and you were just as protective over them as they were you.”
I guess, I’m still the same too. They belong to me just as much as I belong to them.
She smiles, but it no longer reaches her eyes. “I have to go now.”
I shake my head, gripping onto her. “No. Please don’t leave. Just one more minute.”
Her smile turns sad as her body slowly starts to fade. She reaches out a hand to cup my cheek. I lean into it imagining its warmth.
“I wish I could, but this moment was more than I could have ever hoped for. I’m so proud of you Kiarra and always will be. Never forget that.”
I try to grab her, panicking when her body goes right through my hands.
“Remember to always love fiercely, to fight as hard as you can, and to never, ever give up. No matter how bad it gets. There will always be a light in the dark waiting, no matter how small.”
Her body is nearly completely translucent, but I focus on her smile wanting it to be the last thing I remember.
“We’ll meet again, one day. I promise…” She blows me a kiss just as she disappears, her last words traveling on the breeze around me. “I love you Kiarra… always.”
“I love you too,” I whisper as I stare at the spot she disappeared, too frozen to do anything else as the last few moments play on repeat in my head.
I got to see my mom.
She was right there and close enough to touch. I can still smell the light rose scent around me assuring me this wasn’t a dream.
Not many people get to say they get a second chance at seeing their loved ones, one last time. But I did.
My last memory of her was when she died. But now I have a new one. A happier one to replace it with. And it’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.
I blink back the tears as I smile to myself, my body slowly starting to relax as the reality of what happened slowly filters in making me feel lighter than I have in a while.
A hand on my shoulder shakes me from my thoughts. I turn to Rielle as she smiles at me.
“I’m here, Kiarra. No matter what happens, I’ll be here.”
A mixture of emotions flitter through me at her words, but I know she means them, especially after what she just gave me.
Getting to see my mother was more than anything I ever expected. And for that alone, I’ll always be grateful to her.
I give her a smile. “Thank you.”
The ground shifts beneath me once more and within seconds I’m with my guys, but instead of in the lounge, we’re back in the cave we used to enter the Underworld.
Jax’s eyes widen as he glances around. “What the—”
“Weren’t we just in the hall?” Axel frowns.
Luka’s the first one to spot me. He walks over to me, a frown on his face as he checks me over. “Kiarra? Are you okay?”
I smile but I’m still lost in my thoughts. “I’m good. Let’s just get back to Manhattan.” I make a move out of the cave, catching the guys share a worried look. But my mind and heart are still back in that endless field of flowers.
I move on autopilot and before I know it I’m halfway through the forest with Kai stepping in front of me, blocking my path.
“Okay, that’s it. Tell me what your so-called aunt did to upset you, because if she said anything to hurt you…”
I shake my head, smiling at him. “It’s nothing like that. I… met my mom.”
The guys freeze, quickly turning quiet as they stare at me with a mixture of shocked expressions.
“She let me see her for a moment. It was…” I swallow hard, not able to pass that damn knot in my throat. “Sorry, I’m still… processing.”
Kai steps forward, enveloping me in a hug. “Are you okay? After seeing her?”
He pulls back as I nod. “Not many people get to say they saw someone they loved one last time. I’m extremely lucky to have had that chance.”
Kai’s eyes soften and he places a kiss on my forehead. “I’m glad you got to see her too. Just… don’t pull away from us. Please.”
“I won’t. I promise. It just doesn’t feel real but in the same sense I know it was.”
Kai nods. “I get it. Just know we’re here for you, if or when you want to talk.”
“I know.” I really did. But most of the time their presence alone always made me feel better.
As if he can read my mind, Kai pulls me back into him, comforting me in the best way.
Jax steps up beside us. “Group hug.” He winks at me. “We’ll have the group activities later.”
I laugh as the guy s crowd around me, surrounding me in their warmth, quickly snapping me out of my strange mood.
While we’re still huddled together, Jax starts whispering all the things he wants to do to me when this is over. The guys groan as he comes up with the most random, ridiculous things. But it makes me laugh and from the look in his eyes, I can tell it was his plan all along.
Someone clears their throat from behind us. We break apart, only to find Soren standing there with a smile on his face. I completely forgot he was coming with us.
“We should probably move this along.”
Jax narrows his eyes on him. “You ruined our moment.”
Soren exaggerates a bow. “My apologies. I assumed you’d want to save the world before it was too late.”
“You assumed wrong. I already told you I don’t give a shit about it. I’m only helping because it’s something Kiarra wants to do.”
Soren gives him a deadpan look. “And if she wanted you to jump off a cliff?”
“Then you best believe I’m going to have a fucking pep in my step when I take a run and jump straight off it.”
I look at Jax like he’s crazy before shaking my head. “Let’s go.”
A few minutes pass before we make it to the spot where we met Soren. It reminds me of the deal we made.
“You never asked for that favor. What was it?”
Soren rubs the back of his head, looking anywhere but at me. “I knew who you were as soon as Draven told me about you. I also knew it was only time before you met your aunt.” Soren clears his throat, mumbling something that makes Jax laugh.
But I don’t catch it. “What?”
Soren clears his throat again, speaking louder this time. “I wanted you to put in a good word for me… with Rielle.”
I bite my lip from the laugh threatening to escape while the guys laugh at Soren’s discomfort.
He starts forward without a backward glance. “Let’s save the world and you can follow through with your deal.”
I smile to myself, glad that Soren was our guide after all. As if he hears my thoughts, he turns and winks at me, earning glares and growls from the guys.
Jax comes over to me, taking my hand. “Stop fucking flirting with our girl.”
I roll my eyes at his ridiculous caveman attitude while Soren walks ahead, chuckling to himself.
We make it to the spot where the portal left us. As soon as we get near it, it appears as if it was always there waiting.
“How did it…”
Kai smiles at me. “Sensors. I made sure they created them so that it would only open for one of us. It should bring us straight to our building.”
I glance at the portal, wondering what’s waiting for us behind it. “Do you think…”
As if Kai can sense where my thoughts have gone, he steps up beside me. “I’m sure Jazmyn and everyone are fine.”
Jax squeezes my hand. “If anyone is okay, it’s Jazmyn. She probably scared off most of the demons with one look.”
I nod, making myself believe them, even if Jax was only half messing. Jazmyn was pretty badass.
Taking a deep breath, I ready myself for whatever comes next.
Sharing a look with the guys, we take a step through the portal… and right into complete carnage and chaos.
