Page 83 of Sinister Hearts
Faye grabbed my face. “Stop. I understand you had to do what needed to be done. I know it was out of your hands. That’s not why I’m crying,” she replied, stoic.
Her answer puzzled me. “Then why are you crying, little light?” I lifted her chin to look at me with those brown bedroom eyes that made me melt.
“That was the first time Vadon had ever said sorry to me,” she exclaimed, glancing at his molten body, lifeless.
Now, I understood. It was closure she felt, maybe even some peace after all.
The sad truth was I wasn’t completely devastated over Vadon’s death. I felt sadness, but also relief. I knew Birdie and I were safer and better off. His apology would never make up for everything he’d done, and I knew the only reason he felt remorse in the first place was because he was under his Reaper’s mercy, confessing his acts. The fact that he would rather die than live with the shame said a lot.
How would I explain this to Birdie? I had no idea. I stood over Vadon’s lifeless body. The blood seeping out of his airways and his eyes still open in terror. I bent down to close his lifeless eyes.
The foundation of the building began to shake and the floor started to divide. I stepped back, trying to place my footing so I wouldn’t fall to my death. Jax’s shadows whipped around my wrist and pulled me to a safe distance. I clung onto him for dear life, not understanding what was happening.
A mysterious figure ascended from the cracked foundation in fire and ash. His skeletal form was bound with the most beautiful Indigenous feathers, his crown made of bones. The feathers on the crown stood straight to the sky. Lightening struck as the clouds swarmed in and gathered, creating a treacherous storm.
“Nobody will be touching my niña.” The entity struck the pebbled floor, marking his presence on earth.
El Micta charged at Jaxon, but he blocked the hit. I knew he was refusing to fight back.
“No! Leave him be!” I rushed to El Micta.
“Faye, stay back!” Jax pleaded with me.
El Micta surrounded him like a vulture ready to devour his prey. Drumming thundered from the ground, making the vibrations crack the foundation further and letting in more inferno from the depths below.
“Come,” is all he said when he called to me as his telekinetic grip overpowered me. His eyes were as white as milk.
“Let him go!” He may claim to be my father, but to me he’s a stranger hurting someone I loved. My eyes shifted to white as my breath faltered from his grip.
“You can’t have him, he’s mine!” Odin descended from the clouds as he swarmed in, knocking El Micta off his feet.
They snarled at one another as they circled each other in predator-like movements. Jax got up and released his dark shadows before me, wrapping me protectively with them.
“He won’t hurt me, Jax, you have to let me go.” I held his Reaper face, Death present in his eyes.
“I can’t trust it.” Jax refused to give in. His shadows swarmed our bodies and held us up in the air in a shadowed cocoon.
“Trust me.” I gave him a gentle kiss. I could hear the battle beneath us.
The sounds of gods lost in fury covered the earth. Jax kissed my forehead in surrender, knowing this wasn’t his fight. His shadows placed us beyond the rubble yet again.
“You witch!” Odin seethed at me in crossness. His long, silver beard nearly touched the ground, his crown sitting heavily on top of his white-covered head, his muscles stretching his old royal seams. “You’ve nearly cost me my best hunter. I shall have you enslaved in Valhalla, kissing at my feet, for this!” Odin pointed at me in fury.
“Over my dead fucking body!” Jax roared. Odin’s laugh echoed manically into the thunderous cloudy sky
“Cállense(shutup),you fools!” El Micta’s voice vibrated from his throat made of bones.
“Nobody asked you to speak!” Odin howled, the clouds and lightning bursting in the gloomy night sky.
El Micta laughed, entertained. “I do not fear you, for you hold no power here.”
The ground shook again, making the fire and embers seep up from the cracks below..
“Enough with the pissing contest!” I shouted, knocking them both off their feet, my eyes white as snow. “I amLa Sibila.” I shifted into the air as it pulled me in seamlessly. “I am made of both light and darkness. Fire and air.” Fumes ignited from my palms. “You!” I casted my finger to El Micta. “How dare youshow your face after abandoning me, thinking you have a say in my life!” I hoped he could feel the hate that seeped from my bones.
“I’ve had enough of these family affairs,” Odin interrupted. “I came here and I won’t leave without a reward, something worthy of my time.” Odin looked to Jaxon, a bashful smile spreading across his ancient rugged face.
“Twin souls.” El Micta shook his head, smugly. “Mirrors.” He surrounded both Jaxon and I, pointing between one another.
