Intertwined: love, fire and sacrifice

16. Sacrifice

Laius

I know what I have to do.

I have to do what pains me.

What I’ve never thought I could do.

However, it doesn’t pain me more than seeing her suffering. Because she is what matters most, seeing her lightly smile, her eyes dancing with life and mischief, listening to her soft moans, her quick-witted replies and hearing her warm laughs is my purpose.

More than wanting her for myself, I want her. HER, happy and whole. I f*****g want her in spite of myself.

I, who never wanted anything in spite of myself, who never even thought beyond myself. But I’ve already learned that this woman could do anything without even trying. If she wanted, she could freeze Hell. She indeed could make life blossom again in the dry soil of Tartarus, the deepest and most arid region of Hell. An achievement that Persephone herself just performed a couple of times.

My Liv is like life itself. She is my life. I can’t let her light fade away from her eyes. I can’t let her suffer, even when stopping her suffering would imply in a severe torture for me. Sharing what should have been just mine.

But before being mine or anyone’s, she belongs to herself. She has her on sparkle, she is her own fire. No one shall be allowed to blow it away.

I will do it for her.

I went to our room to let my woman know about a decision that I was already beginning to regret. Another first in my eternal life. Regret.

She was there, sat on our bed, where she belongs, brushing her long gorgeous hair while she was watching a movie.

“Sugar.” I called.

“Yeah.” She paused the movie and answered looking up at me and smiling. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Her eyes had a glimpse of emptiness. Her full of light and life eyes were for the first time since I’ve met her, growing dull.

“I think you should go back to the upper Realms, to Avalon’s Realm or wherever you want to go.” She stood up fast, after hearing my words and strode to my direction, confusion across her face and brows furrowed.

“No, no… I want to stay here. I will be only with you. That is what we need, what you need.” She said taking my hand in her delicate and small one, while her other hand cupped my face tenderly.

“No, Liv. That’s not what you need.” I replied, taking her hand and kissing it.

“But… but that won’t help you…I know you need to have me just for yourself. I felt it Laius, all your pain.” She looked down and bite her juicy bottom lip. I can’t be aroused right now, bloody hell! “And I am doing it for you, for us. I have to do it.” She gazed at me again, her eyes holding sincerity, kindness and love.

Her blue eyes, my own small skies. They were also holding unshed tears.

I cupped her face. “No Sugar. I can’t let you do it. I can bear seeing you in pain. I know you have to see them. Your soul calls for theirs.” I said looking intently into her eyes.

“How do you… Will you…?” I felt her worry and angst through the bond.

“Of course, I will go with you. I will always go where you go. I will always be where you are.” I said kissing her wrist lightly. How could she even think that I would leave her?

She grinned me a sad smile, “I just don’t know if that would be enough for you.”

“Let me give that to you. Let me take out your pain this time, give you what you need.” Yes, I said those words to the woman I love. Even though they broke me. My side of the bond wasn’t widely open, so I could hide my brokenness and hesitance from her. “Be only mine for one more night. Tomorrow we go back to the Upper Realms.” I uttered as I claimed her mouth.

“Yes.” She answered through the bond.

Before doing what, I dread most, I will ravish her and claim her in all ways possible.

…….

Elric

Everything was almost ready. My troops and Avalon’s were already gathered and only waiting orders to attack. Richard, the Werewolf King, and Valentin, the Fae King and my good friend, also agreed to sending some troops. We were only waiting for Richard’s troops to arrive to Emeraldia, from where we will all leave together.

As I’ve agreed with Avalon the Fae and Werewolf troops will be in the back of the battle formation, we will avoid escalating this battle to an inter-species war as much as possible.

Nevertheless, I was acting in breach of the Peace Treaty. In breach of what has been my mission for centuries. In breach of the Goddess words and will.

But I couldn’t let my mate suffer, the sole possibility that she was being manipulated, having her free will compromised under some kind of spell or kept in Hell against her will, was reason enough to act in breach of all of those things.

Soon we will break through the gates of Hell and bring my Liv back.

………………..

Laius

In the afternoon of the next day, I hold my mate’s hand to portal us both to Avalon’s palace, where she told me she wants to go. I am sure she also wants to see her mother and Lelea. Even I miss the kid.

I open the portal and we both move towards it. After few seconds, I look around my surrounds, I’ve arrived in the snob’s palace, but there is no sign of my Liv. I can feel the smoke leaving my body, something is wrong. I portal myself back to my castle, where I see my confused female.

“What happened? Why it didn’t work?” she asks with a little frown. 

“I don’t know Sugar. Let’s try again, but this time to the Elf-Realm.” I suggest. She nods and we try and fail. I am back to our room. Fuming, but looking at her frowning face calms me down.

“What the Heck.” she mutters. “I will try to portal myself and see if the portal connexion works, that is worse than bad wifi!”

She waves her hands graciously and a blue light vortex is open, she walks into it. But her body only crosses it, as if the portal wasn’t even there.

I sigh. “Let’s try to portal to the Human Realm to see if it works.” I suggest.

“Yep. Let’s just portal around until it clicks.” She answers. She isn’t angry, just a bit puzzled and contemplative.

The same thing that happened when I portaled us to Avalon’s and Emeraldia happens again. I come back to her. What I’ve imagined when she first couldn’t portal away, is happening indeed. Liv is bonded to Hell. She can’t leave.

“Sugar, I don’t know how or why, but seems like you were bonded to Hell.” I tell her.

“So, I am stuck here?... Could that be because of the Hellfire mojo? Did I have too much of it, like an overdose?”

“No. That is not possible, it must be something else.” I say as I tuck her in my arms.

“Like someone put a spell on me because they don’t want me to leave?” she asks looking up at me.

“Probably something like that.”

“But who? Who would gain with me staying here?” she asks furrowing her brows.

“Everyone would gain with their Queen staying in Hell.” Specially me.

“That doesn’t help to eliminate suspects of our list, Watson.” She replies. I can’t help but chuckle at my mate’s good-mood and humour.

“It must be someone powerful and who got close to you. Close enough to cast a course or give you a brew.” I utter as realisation hits me.

“So, it could be something I was fed with.” She says rubbing her chin and looking thoughtful.

“I think I know who was, Sweets.” I mutter.

“Who? The Butler? Mircella, the Succubitch, but she wouldn’t want me around, well…”

“No, Medeia!” I say.

Smoke is leaving my body again. I feel my skin burn with rage and my murderous energy rolling off my body. That blasted potion-maker doped my Sugar with one of her vile concoctions.