Chapter 8 – Fighting Alone
“If you <b>want </b>to be strong, learn how to fight alone.” – Unknown
Kiya
“Little Bit, I have found nothing worth finding.” Jackie’s voice rang from my closet as her hands thoroughly rummaged through my hanging clothes.
“Nothing suspicious in the bathroom!” Sapphire called from thevatory. “You need more toilet paper, though!”
My <b>eyes </b>narrowed to the muffled coughs of Galen, who crawled from underneath my bed with his hair partially covering his left eye.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.
“Nothing down here but dust bunnies.” He chortled, grasping the helping hand of Mikhail as he pulled him from the ground. Isaiah checked through every nook <b>and </b>cranny in my room for any evidence of an intruder but found nothing. Not even he, who has a degree in Forensic Science, could find anything.
From my <b>peripherals</b>, Darien lingers at my door. The disgusted and annoyed look on his face told a <b>story </b>that he wouldn’t be caught dead going through the threshold into my room. Hatred burned into my back, <b>searing </b>off the small hairs on my arms under the intensity of his glower. Involuntary, unpleasant shivers swam down my <b>spine </b>as my ex–best friend silently wishes for my disappearance.
After revealing my sleep troubles to my friends and, shockingly, under Neron’s request, all of them are scoping out clues for an intruder. Or at least an entranceway for it to trespass. A deep part of me desperately hoped for a slip up from the hybrid; if Osiris had left clues of his presence for my friends to detect. With every hand that came up empty, my <b>heart </b>sunk in <b>a </b><b>sea </b>of disappointment.
The bastard is intelligent. He left behind no evidence of his <b>arrival</b>. I saw him. Felt him. His presence engulfed
<b>the </b><b>peace </b>in my room and left behind the chaos. It thrived off the aura of disorder, using it as a weapon to subdue me. Osiris is crafty and I’m a fool to think anything different.
“Kiya, are you sure something was here?” Isaiah <b>asked </b>me, rising to his feet from his knees. The sunlight. made his deep mnin glow. “Because if there <b>was</b><b>, </b>none of us can find anything.”
“So, we’re wasting our time,” Darien growled from the door; arms crossed. “We have better things to do and <b>we’re </b>here chasing dust bunnies and imaginary friends.”
“Dude, chill out.” Galen barked with a scowl on his face. “We’re here helping a friend. Who knows what could be out there? And I trust Kiya’s words that something was in here.”
“She does <b>have </b>a creative imagination.” The insinuation lining Darien’s tone stung deep. He believes that I’m making this up, but <b>I’m </b>not! 1–I just… “We’re chasing a ghost.”
“Don’t write it off, yet.” Abigail gently added. Her smile is dazzling. “After all she’s been through, she <b>has </b>every right to be concerned. A presence in a room isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s an affliction that can happen to
anyone.”
<b>“</b>Kiya…” Artemis <b>spoke</b><b>. </b>“<b>You </b>should tell them the truth. What Osiris has done must be known. Let them help and protect you.”
I didn’t <b>answer </b>back. My fingers fidgeted nervously. Darien is right. I’m leading everyone on a wild goose chase because I don’t <b>dare </b>to tell them about Osiris. And the dark promises and warnings he spoke of. The war against him is a battle I must fight alone. He’s the one who kidnapped me, and I’m the one he’s after. Involving the people I love in this madness will only lead to pain for them. And I cannot let that happen.
My friends would stop at nothing to make sure I’m safe. I’m the youngest of our crew, thus making me the baby. The one o
everyone needs to protect. No matter how much training I go through or the battles I’ve fought <b>and </b>won, they still believe I need protection. As much as I appreciate it, it annoys me sometimes. I’m a Delta. I’m Selene’s avatar. I can fight and win alone.
But then, I remember it. The onught of Cerberus. Their broken, bloodied bodies on top of the burning grass. All in their silent <b>vow </b>to keep me safe. It brought a <b>wave </b>of agony I’ve never felt before. It cut deeper than a knife and burned hotter <b>than </b>Greek fire. Those images resurface in my nightmares–sometimes with the bonus of their bodies shifting to stiff corpses.
For once<b>, </b>I want to protect them. Osiris‘ attention is on me and I want to keep it that way. His <b>eyes </b>should remain on their target, not on potential liabilities or extras in whatever his n is. My friends deserve to be happy and safe with their mates, not risking their lives for me.
Is that a bad thing?
I know it’s stupid to keep this to myself. That I’m being haunted by a man thought to have died in the fiery hellscape over three weeks ago. But the love and protection for my friends outweigh my safety. As long as they’re okay, I’ll continue to <b>fight </b>this secret war.
“We’re not getting any closer to finding whatever the fuck we’re supposed to find.” Pushing himself off the door, Darien cranes his neck from side to side, ridding any kinks. “Continue to y detective. I’m leaving.”
“What the fuck is his problem?” Galen asked, his eyes alit with annoyance.
“Maybe he’s tired or has a lot on his mind.” I quickly add, <b>trying </b>to defuse the situation. Galen, although mboyant and silly, takes his friendships seriously. He grew up with Darien and can already tell that <b>there’s </b>something wrong with him.
Another secret I’m keeping from everyone. Aside from the Osiris fiasco, I’ve yet to tell everyone about Darien and I’s fallout. What am I supposed to say? He went from amazing friend to bitter enemy within a day, and I don’t know why. And it’s not like I can walk up to him and have a conversation; not after how he blew me off the other day. His words stung deep, hitting the fleshy and vulnerable parts of my heart. The areas I guard the
<b>most</b><b>.</b>
And thest thing I want is to be the reason for Darien and Galen’s fallout. I don’t want to be fought over.
In the <b>end</b>, no one found anything. Osiris left nothing. My friends departed from my room shortly after <b>I </b>dered <b>that </b>they can leave. Each had expressions of sadness or disappointment but didn’t dwell on them. I didn’t want them too. They shouldn’t carry this burden with me. Sitting my rear on my bed, the dead silence <b>in </b>my room was heavy without their mild chatter.
It’s cold.
<b>“</b>You should <b>have </b>told them,” <b>Artemis </b>sighed<b>. </b>“This would make things a lot easier, Kiki<b>. </b>You had the chance, but <b>you </b>let it pass <b>you </b>by. Why?”
2/4
Fighting
“I can handle Osiris myself.” 1 defended. “Why should I let them fight my battles? They have better things to do
than to fuss over me<b>.</b>”
“I know you care about them and their safety. You’re selfless to a fault. But, sometimes, we need help with things we can’t handle ourselves. If <b>you </b>don’t tell them about Osiris, it’ll only be a matter of time before they do find out <b>and </b>that can end badly. You think he’ll keep this <b>a </b>secret like <b>you </b>are?”
“He only <b>wants </b>me. That guarantees that he won’t hurt anyone else. Keep the enemy’s eyes on their target and not let them stray.”
“But how will it help them if you get hurt?”
“This isn’t about that! I don’t care if I get hurt! I care whether they get hurt! I’m tired of people hurting for me. Your <b>saw </b><b>what </b>Cerberus did to them. Abi’s arm hasn’t fully healed yet from it. Osiris has the potential to do worse. When I get rid of him on my own<b>, </b>this all will be <b>over</b>. They don’t <b>have </b>to know.”
…You and I know evil doesn’t keep itself hidden for very long. Please<b>, </b><b>don’t </b><b>wait </b>too <b>long </b>to tell them. They <b>have </b>to know. Them <b>and </b>Neron<b>, </b>since this is his pack.”
A defeated sigh escaped my lips <b>as </b>I trudged my legs into the bathroom. Opening the faucet, I <b>sshed </b>cold water on my face a few times in hopes the coolness dissipates <b>the </b>stress bubbling <b>underneath </b>my skin. I know
I have to talk, eventually. But is it worth the risk? Osiris can get into the territory undetected and haunt me. Who knows what else he’s capable of?
Pulling a towel off the rack, I <b>wiped </b>my face clean, relishing in the softness of cotton. Everything felt peaceful for a moment until I felt a puff of hot air on my earlobe.
“Miss <b>me</b><b>?</b><b>”</b>
On high <b>alert</b>, I jerked behind me to see the billow of smoke writhing in <b>the </b>air like a snake. Once again, the scarlet red eyes sunk deep into my eyes, <b>grappling </b>at the threads of my soul. “I admire your friends‘ <b>diligence </b>in finding me. Too bad I’m always one step ahead.”
Growling, I threw my towel to the side. “You’re a fucking asshole, Osiris. You’ve been watching me?”
“Of course.” He said it was a known fact. “I’m a predator. I have to monitor my prey. You know this by the empty results you’ve received not too long ago. They cannot find me! This form of mine leaves no <b>physical </b>evidence behind, so, in actuality, you’ve been leading them in a wild goose chase.”
The billow hovers closer, a <b>hand </b>reaching out to cup my face. The dark touch sends nothing short of sensual sensations through my body, involuntarily invoking a shiver. I hate it. “Get away from me.”
“No. I like <b>to </b>admire what’s mine.”
“I belong to no <b>one</b><b>.</b>”
“I beg to differ.” Suddenly, a fistful of my hair was grabbed, violently jerking my head back. The area where he bit me, on my neck, throbbed asynchronously from my heartbeat, causing my legs to buckle. What is this power? “I don’t want to hurt <b>you</b>, Little Moon. I’ve <b>given </b>you the <b>option </b>to surrender and yet, <b>you </b>continue to fight the losing battle. Must disaster explode in your face for <b>you </b>to realize the truth? That all will abandon <b>you</b><b>? </b>Your friend Darien has.”
My heart lurched at the thought of Darien and his heated looks of abhorrence. He wants nothing to do with
Chapter &– Fighting Alone
<b>me </b>and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. “How long until the others <b>follow</b>? How long will your realize that the love of your friendships and family is nothing more but a farce? How long until you realize they have yed you like a fiddle? I thought you <b>were </b>much smarter than that, Little Moon.”
My powers sprung to the surface like springs free frompression, steaming in a fiery passion for my protection. In the blink of an eye, the darkness that veiled my bathroom in near ck vanished to normal white. Light from the small window illuminated my surroundings with hope and serenity. My right hand vibrated and shook with moon energy, realizing it was responsible for the dissipation of the darkness. Breathing deeply in relief, my free <b>hand </b>went to the area the hybrid forcibly grabbed, fingers massaging my scalp to release the throbbing pain.
If <b>there’s </b>one thing someone shouldn’t do, is touch my hair. Let alone yank it. I worked too hard on it for grimy fingers to mess it up!
Nevermind that. As much as Osiris‘ words hit a deep part of me, I won’t let him win. Not over me. I’vee too far to let some fanged bastard ruin things for me. A damsel in <b>distress </b><b>is </b>a role I refuse to y and reject wholeheartedly.
This is my fight.
I’ll take Osiris down. With my own two hands.
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