Chapter Twenty-four

“Raphael found Lucca.”

River turned to look at Damon, they were in the kitchen; she was going to cook for him.

“What are we waiting for?”

He smiled at her his eyes turning bright. “Nothing.” He wrapped his arms around her, and they moved faster than light as he transported them from one spot to another.

They appeared in front of what could have been an old Roman Coliseum. The difference was the walls were smooth and went straight up in the air without any openings.

“Where are we?”

“I think it’s more of when are we,” Mick said looking around. “I’ve never seen this version of Earth.”

“I’d like to go on record that I never want to see this version again,” Julian told them.

“How are we supposed to help Lucca out here?” River looked around to find the brothers building some type of structure.

“What are you doing?” Jaz asked.

Raphael looked at them smiling. “This is for the two of you. No one can invade the structure. You both have small holes to fire your weapons out of but still be safe.”

“We’re not getting into the Coliseum Jaz. That wall isn’t opening, and it isn’t coming down.” Mick took her hand and led her to the structure like his brother was doing with River. “That army that’s marching our way knows the way in. We’re going to make sure the fight is fair, and we need to know that the two of you are safe.” He leaned in and kissed her before Damon closed and locked the door.

They blended into their surroundings not allowing anyone to see them until the first neck was slit; it was all out war from there.

*~*~*~*

Trap. They had allowed him to fly in and now that he was here, there was no way out. A dome had been placed over the entire area, no matter how often he rammed his body against it or blew fire at it, there was no change. He settled to the ground allowing his body to change again. He would take down the walls with his claws no one locked him up. He roared his frustration so that all would hear it and shake in his very presence.

First, he would find the voice and allow his claws to stop the relentless screaming. The surrounding area was large, no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find the end of it. It was dangerous; he liked that. There were fires all around him. Was he in the version of hell the male used to talk about or was he much further back? This could be prehistoric, there was a possibility this was a version of primordial fire.

He roared; he was never fond of when the male’s thoughts slipped into his.

He moved watching the fire; he kicked dirt into one only to watch it swallow the dirt whole until there was none. His body hit the ground rolling through the fire even though he knew it was a bad idea.

Roars of pain came from him until he could put the fire out. Now he knew this was not ordinary. He stood; he was here for a purpose. He would deal with the voice, and then he would leave.

The first arrow that hit him irritated him. He looked around he would make an exception and kill whoever hit him. He pulled it out and ran looking for the being that tried to hurt him. A barrage of arrows hit him at once throwing his body to the ground.

He saw the first one as it appeared. Imp, he passed out.

When he woke up, he was in the center of a wide open space, there were cliffs on one side and fires burning close to him. Every now and again, the fire would find a way to lick at his flesh as if this was a game. He stood to find himself shackled. Nothing should be strong enough to hold him, but this was keeping him in place.

“I see all my players are here.” The voice was deep, but it filled the space as if it was truly happy.

“You.”

“Awe, Tempest you are awake splendid. I hated to think we would have to start without you.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Are we back to that pesky question? It’s your destiny. Does that make you feel better? You were born to die.”

She stood up noticing the chain on her foot.

“Not too fast. We’re going to play a game where the ultimate prize is your death.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass believe it or not I’m sort of addicted to breathing.”

“You’ll think about that the next time you allow your body to be violated.”

She stood and walked towards Harold until the chain encircling her ankle stopped her.

“I’m over it. This is my body and whatever I allowed to happen to it is my right and my responsibility. You have no idea what happened to me and at this point neither do I. I will not be ashamed, even if I made the wrong decision. You and the world that thinks they know more than I do about myself can kiss my bronze ass.”

Harold took a step back. This wasn’t the Tempest he knew suffering from the weight of judgment and bad decisions. He looked at Lucca out the corner of his eyes. Was that beast smiling? He wouldn’t be smiling for long.

“You sound like a petulant child unwilling to acknowledge she made a mistake.”

“Wrong, I sound like a woman who doesn’t give a damn because she still has plenty of life to live. We all make mistakes Harold. I wonder what yours have been.”

“Back to our game.”

“I’m going to kill you.”

“My kind doesn’t die.”

“Then I’ll send you back to the hell you came from.”

“Standing in this corner at well over twenty feet and weighing in at more than the scales of the universe can handle is Lucca A’rouk.”

Her head turned, the corner he mentioned was empty. Then she realized that there was a force field keeping whatever was behind it unseen. The area went from opaque to bright. Her hand came up to cover her mouth. Lucca was huge, and he was furious.

“That is the main creature in Lucca, the one he never lets out. Would you like to know why?”

“I’m good thanks.”

“This creature hates every species in the galaxy, but it despises females. It will kill everyone it meets.”

“Then how does it procreate?”

“It kills the female after she bears the child.”

“Lucca, when this is over you and I will have to have a long talk.”

“In this corner weighing in at ninety pounds if she’s dressed and soaking wet is Tempest no last name.”

“I weigh more than ninety pounds, I have been drinking my shakes! My last name is A’rouk get it right.” That’s telling him, Tempest, why don’t you argue some more?

Her shoulders drooped. It wasn’t her fault if she had a hard time picking up weight. If he had a hole in his belly that constantly seeped blood, and he slept in a cave forever, he wouldn’t be fit and athletic.

“Now here are the rules—.”

“Wait! Where did the baby come from? How did a toddler get in here? Harold, get him out of here.”

He was adorable she wanted to pick him up. She took a step toward him, and Lucca roared. She backed up; it was a reflex. Once again, she stepped towards the toddler, and he roared.

“What are you trying to tell me?”

The child came towards her, but she backed up. Think Tempest, how does a child get into a place like this? He’s so little he’s barely walking. He moved closer, and she moved further back as memories flooded her.

“I remember,” she spoke to the child. “I was taking a walk trying to understand all that was happening to me, and I saw a small child. He was adorable just like you. He had the darkest hair and the brightest blue eyes I ever saw. He fell on his behind and cried. I couldn’t help myself; I walked over and picked him up, promising to find his parents.”

This couldn’t be the same toddler, right?

“I remember the feel of his weight in my arms. I turned around to go back to the village, and… and.” She shook her head. What was she thinking?

“And I sank my teeth into you as my hand broke through the flesh of your abdomen. After I was done, you became the perfect food source allowing me to live for centuries.”

“What are you and why me?”

“I don’t have a name that your limited vocal range can repeat. My people and I were here from the inception of the Earth. As the Earth changed so did we but not fast enough to keep up. Soon the natural calamities shrank our numbers until we were an endangered species. Once again, we changed hoping to keep up with the Earth. Many of us died as the planet matured. Now there are just a handful of us. We move around the world looking for food sources, and I found you.

“You kept me strong through the centuries to cause havoc for the humans.”

“Now you’re here to break me out because he,” she pointed towards Harold, “wants me dead.”

“No, quite the opposite. You mated with that male.” He looked at Lucca with hatred in his eyes. “Ever since that day he has placed himself between you and me, slowing my food consumption until he can find a way to break the link.”

She sat down smiling. Of course, Lucca would be protecting her without ever letting her know. That’s what white knight’s do.

“Then why are you here?”

“To break the connection. When you die, I don’t want to risk dying with you.”

“Your compassion overwhelms me. You’ve been living off me like a parasite, and now that your all you can eat buffet is disappearing you're throwing me to the sharks and moving on.” She jumped to her feet and started walking backward.

“That’s it in a nutshell.”

“I still don’t understand why me?”

“Why not you? You’re powerful, not just physically with your ability to control the wind; your soul is powerful. I walk this planet understanding that no one cares that there was a society here before them. Your species killed mine off whether they know it or not. Why shouldn’t you and them pay for your crimes? Murderers the lot of you. Every time I draw power from you, I punish the Earth. Pathetic creatures trying to kill you as if your death will stop me. The Earth will pay for what it did to my kind, and when it is dead, I will move to another planet.”

“It was all for vengeance? There was no master plan, you wanted to hurt the planet and take me down with it.” The smile that twisted his lips was her answer.

He walked up to her until she was trapped between the wall at her back and him at her chest.

“This is going to hurt enjoy.” He reached for her and punched his hand through her chest. A scream of pain left her mouth as she fell against the wall. His hand moved around inside of her until she felt him grab onto a part of her. It was probably an organ she needed to live not that he cared.

He began to pull at her even as she tried to hit him and push him away. He pulled harder until she felt like her insides were all going to come out with his hand. He stepped back right before she could black out from pain.

“I got it.” He held up a bloody hand showing her nothing. “You can’t see it.” He brought it close to his body and pulled a long organ out of his abdominal cavity.

Once he attached the organ, she could see it. It looked like teeth and a suction cup.

“This,” he pointed to it, “allowed me to feed on you. I’m out of here I need to find someone with a strong life force to feed on.”

“Too late,” Harold said with a smile. “The beast has decided you’re the first to die.”

Harold opened the cage, and the beast ran out. The male with no name screamed and ran.