Indignation (33 page)

She sits up to find Merlin staring at her with so much love. “How did you get in here?” She motions to the padded room that looks like one from a metal hospital.

“The Heavens are at war with the Underworld. Everyone is in the battle field.”

She stands up. The white gown flows against her skin. “What? Where’s Julian?”

“Fighting as well.” Her eyes widen in fear. The war. The war is where Julian will die. Annalisa pushes past Merlin. She has to save Julian.

 After twenty mintues, she arrives at the war. The sun has not yet risen above the sky. Annalisa hides in a small Hut not far from the clearing. The Heavens and the Underworld is approaching. On front line she can see Gabriel, Raphael, and many more of the strongest fighters of the Heavens. Everyone has grey wings except Gabriel who has gold wings. On the opposite side, the representatives of the Underworld stand Julian, Yenta, Hans, Caledonia, and many more. Julian’s wings are as black as the feathers of a raven. His hair has grown to stop around his shoulders. His new beard is noticeable.

 Seeing Julian breaks her heart. He’s going to die today. Her love for him is so strong that she is risking her own safety to be able to protect him from harm. She remembers everything she has done to him. It’s awful to think that someone could have control over her body from a simple spell. Julian stands tall, he’s ready to fight. He always was.

 For the past four hundred years she has wanted to be able to run into Julian’s arms and have him love her with as much force as she loves him, but he loves Alyssa now and that kills her inside. She’s a creature created to attract hate. She knows Julian hates her. Her mother hated her. Her father rejects her. Now her sister must hate her as well. Slowly the heartache can’t take her life anymore. She has done so much damage that she can’t look at herself anymore. She doesn’t want to be that person. She wants to live a life free of curses and transcripts. She wants to learn how to feel the love like many beings do. Annalisa closes her eyes as tears form from her purple eyes. The sun is rising above her head. The War is beginning.

 Annalisa closes her eyes when she hears the howls of war. She doesn’t dare look. She wants to save Julian, but she can’t do that without causing more harm. Her curse might be lifted, but what if there’s a chance that it hasn’t been lifted? Annalisa opens her eyes to find the sun now shining bright. She must have zoned out for almost thirty mintues.

Annalisa stares in shock as Julian is attacked from behind by a Cerberus. The dogs’ growl while their teeth sink into Julian’s back. Julian lets out a piercing scream of rage as the dogs tear off one of his wings.

 Annalisa runs to the clearing with the Dagger of Selene in her hand trying to get to Julian. She jumps over many bodies. She stabs anyone who comes to a nearing distance of her. “No!” She cries. His body is still on the floor. His chest isn’t rising for breath. He can’t be dead. He can’t. “Julian! No. Please. No.” She cries. Her mind is clouded over thinking of his death that she doesn’t notice that he’s breathing, but barely enough to save him for long.

 She turns to sky with tears filling her eyes.
“
Vos causa totus illae! Damno vos ut abyssus
!”
You caused all of this. Damn you to hell
.
She hears someone calling Julian in panic. Miranda, the Adviser Elim. Annalisa quickly pressing her lips to his forehead and runs into the woods, disappearing. The Dagger of Selene is left behind on the floor, away from the fight. She can’t do this. Before she gets far she hears Miranda yelling to Gabriel that Julian is breathing. Relief fills her. She stops panting as she senses her sister approaching from thin air.

<><><>

Alyssa runs through the woods. She can already smell the blood. She hopes she isn’t late. 
’
Please, don’t let me be late
.’
 She mentally says. Her white dress flows as she runs to towards the war.

 She enters the large clearing and gasps at the view that surrounds her. Men are killing each. Blood is spatter all over the ground. The smell is intense. Her eyes can at all the bodies that are laid down. Bodies of familiar people she has met in the immortal world. People she can’t even name. Some of them are beheaded. Others have bled to death.

‘It is time.’ A voice unfamiliar to her whispers into her mind. ‘Take the dagger.’ The voice commands. Alyssa scans the floor. She sees the Dagger of Selene a few feet away from her. She quickly runs to it. Alyssa takes the dagger and steps away from the war. She hides behind the body of the fallen tree, observing the war before her. She can feel her body preparing. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She has already chosen her fate. She is the Sacrifice.

A newfound courage vibrates through her body. She opens her violet eyes. She lets the voice guide her through this. The world seems to slow down in time as she walks across the clearing to stand in the middle of the war. Her eyes take in the view of a bloodbath. Everyone stops for an entire minute to watch her. They all see her as their queen, or their heir. Her eyes fall to the man that lies almost dead on the floor. Julian. His body is cradle by Miranda. The Elim’s clear blue eyes stare at her with wide eyes. Her mouth opening to acknowledge her, but nothing comes out.

Alyssa raises the dagger of her mother above her head and repeats the words the voice whispers into her mind.

“EGO sum vita. Cruor of aestuo tribuo mihi vires. I am life. The blood of the Heavens gives me strength
.
” She drags the dagger down her left arm creating a deep wound.
“
Cruor of Veneficus dat mihi vox.
Blood of the Witches gives me power.” She drags the dagger down her right arm. Her both arms are covered in her own blood, but she doesn’t feel the numbness of her deep cuts. “Cruor of utriusque dat mihi choice
.
The blood of both gives me choice.”
She cuts an ‘x’ on her stomach. “EGO sum vita. Pro vita Fio sarcifice. Meus pectus pectoris dat mihi nex. Pro iam nex adveho ut mihi ut vexillum pugna ex causa vulnero. EGO tribuo meus pectus pectoris. EGO tribuo meus vita. Sic exsisto is.
I am life. For life I become the sacrifice. My heart gives me death. For now death comes to me to ban battle from causing harm. I give my heart. I give my life. So be it.”

 Alyssa raises the dagger with her bloody hands. ’I love you
.’
 She whispers to Julian in her mind. The heir doesn’t know that her twin sister repeats every word she uttered. She brings the dagger down penetrating her chest. Her last sight is Julian’s eyes opening.

<><><>

 Julian opens his eyes. Miranda cradles his body, but her blue eyes show horror as she stares straightforward. She shakes her head. “No.” She whispers as her tears fall.

“Miranda?” He asks as he tries to not think about the pain running down his back.

 Her head lowers to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, Julian. I’m so sorry.” She cries. Julian looks around and notices everyone standing still. No one says a world, no one continues to fight. It’s over? Gabriel appears and pulls Miranda to his chest as she hysterically cries. Gabriel motions towards the clearing behind him.

 Julian turns his head to find her on the floor covered in blood. “Is that-?”

“That’s Alyssa Julian.” Yenta helps him up.

“ALYSSA!” He yells as he runs to her. He kneels beside her body and takes her pulse. There isn’t a pulse. She’s not breathing. She’s truly dead.

Julian picks up Alyssa’s lifeless body to carry her. Tears run down his black eyes. “She’s dead.” He announces to the realms. He walks toward the woods with Alyssa’s body in his arms. Miranda slowly follows and the others do the same. They mourn for the woman who has given up her life to stop the war, the woman who’s their queen and their heir, Alyssa Pike.

Epilogue

It’s been a week. One whole week since they lost their beloved Alyssa. The ones most affected ones are Julian, Miranda, and Dias. Gabriel was effected as well, but only because Miranda was. She feels guilty of not stopping Alyssa from sacrificing herself to stop the war. Dias was effected for only so long. Then he announced that everything would be okay. Six weeks has passed since that day. Julian doesn’t know how to deal with the loss. All he has done after burying Alyssa is ride his motorcycle through rough neighborhoods and pick fights with anyone. Of course he always won. No one can beat King Julian. She doesn’t know how to help him. As much as she wants to tell him something to cure his broken heart, she can’t say anything. The thought of losing the one you love is the worst torture that anyone can face.

Miranda has been sitting in a chair, looking out the window. How can she sleep knowing that Julian is out there? He’s probably destroying everything in his path to mend his hurt over his loss. She’s in Gabriel’s home living like a couple while Julian disappears into the night, contacting no one.

“You will not be able to sit here day and night.” Gabriel states as he kneels in front of her. He grabs her hands between his. “You cannot to this to yourself any longer.”

Miranda’s blonde hair is messy and her eyes are vacant. “Let me be, Gabriel.” Her old form of English has returned to her tongue.

“It has been six weeks, Miranda. I cannot let you do this to yourself.”

“She is dead because of me. I did not stop her when I saw her.”

“She had made her choice on her own.”

She cries out to him with anger. “Julian has disappeared. No one has heard of him.”

“Time is what will mend him.” He comforts her.

“You do not understand. Alyssa meant everything to Julian and now she is gone. She is dead. Now Julian is dead too. His heart died the minute Alyssa died. No one is alive without their heart.”

“Miranda-”

She abruptly stands up and cuts him off. “I need fresh air.” With that, she leaves him kneeling by her chair.

Miranda doesn’t know why exactly drove her to drive to Alyssa’s house, but she did. She notices how normal the Pike house looks. The grey mini cooper Alyssa drove is parked on the driveway. The lights are on to illuminate the front porch. The night air sounds so calming and light. It’s as if Alyssa still lived there. Like nothing has changed.

She guesses that’s how Julian wanted all of Alyssa’s things. Untouched like the artifacts of a museum. 

Miranda opens the door with a hidden key and enters. The house is too quiet for her likes, but she knows it was normal. No one lives here other than Julian now. She knows he does because his scent lingers the home. 

She makes her way to the stairs. There are pictures hanging on the wall on her way up. Pictures of Alyssa. Miranda notices how happy she looks in those pictures. So free of care of immortality with her friends surrounding her. So alive.

She closes her eyes as she sees a picture of Julian and Alyssa across the wall of Alyssa’s room. The picture seems old, but good. Alyssa is smiling as Julian just tries to. He isn’t one for pictures and he never showed emotions so she understood why in the picture he looks uncomfortable.

She turns around facing Alyssa’s bedroom door. Miranda knows she shouldn’t, but she needs to see Alyssa’s room. It’s like closure for her. She has learned to love Alyssa like a sister. That thought of her never coming back is too much to take.

Her pale fingertips softly turn the knob, but half way the silver knob turns the rest by itself. The door opens as she comes face to face with Annalisa.

Annalisa and Alyssa look the exact copy of each other, but Miranda could easily tell them apart. They have different styles of hair and different shades of purple in their eyes.

Confused, Miranda speaks. “Annalisa?” 

Annalisa brings her index finger to her lips. “Ssshhh. I’m not Annalisa.” 

Acknowledgements

This book would not have been possible without the help of amazing people that have not only given me their time, but their support as well. Cynthia Cabrera has been there for me since the beginning of this trilogy. Her ideas and enthusiasm has helped me make a lot of major decisions. She is such an amazing writer and I sent out my best wishes to her for her book
‘
Wing of a Wanted Princess
’
.

I would like to give a special thanks to an amazing friend, Duy Truong. He has done the cover design as well as the photography for this book. His creativity has stunned me over the years. I could not have pick anyone better. I am very proud of him. He’s going to change the world one day and I don’t think he knows it.

What woman can live without makeup? Rebecca Meza has done a fabulous job in doing makeup for the characters
Alyssa
and
Annalisa
. I thank her for bringing my characters to life as a makeup artist. Every writer worries about the reader’s vision of their work. I have not worried at all throughout this process with Megan Coffey as the model. Not only has her physical traits brought my two favorite characters to life, but also her personality. She is a very talented individual who will make it far and beyond.

I also couldn’t have done this without my family’s support. The long hours of typing away has made them see my passion for writing. I thank them for all the sacrifices they have made for me to accomplish my goal.

Lastly I want to thank my young brother, Cesar Americo Santillan. He has always been my inspiration for my works. Without his memory, I would have never made it this far. I thank him for giving me the push to pursuit my dreams. He’s so much more than my brother, he’s my personal Elim. 

Detachment

Elim Trilogy: Book Two

Coming Soon November 2012

Exclusive Sneak peak of: Onyx

Coming Soon November 2012

Prologue- Astator

I have awakened once again by a woman filled with jealous rage. The reason for her to awaken me this time does not matter to me. The only thought I can ponder on is my beloved Cynthia. The woman who is my all. I need to have her. I want to love her. Most importantly I want her to love me. I have found her tonight acting as a mortal, yet she also appears to think she is. What is this strange time of age doing to my love? I do not know why she has not remembered me, come looking for me, but I will discover the truth behind her absence of remembrance. Something is not right. It has been nearly four hundred years since I saw her last. I knew that she did not die that day my half-brother mourned for her death.