The Delta's Daughter Chapter 393

TALA

Winds whipped through the trees as night fell across New Moon. My wolf, Mora, had been roused all day, feeling uneasy about her mate being so far from us.

It had been snowing for hours, mixed with lashing rain. Connor slept soundly whereas Jonda's child was restless much like myself as I kept checking in on her every hour.

Jonda was only down the hall, Olivia and Lizzy stayed with the child.

*Tala!* Olivia pushed through a mental connection. Her voice was rushed and distraught making my wolf's ears perk and fur hackle.

Without thinking I scrambled to my feet from where I sat by the window in Connor's nursery. My gut was twisting with dread and a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. Olivia's voice worried me. I raced out of our suite and down the hall. Greeting Olivia at the door to Jonda's room.

"What's wrong? Is Jonda, okay? The baby…"

"She won't come down. She's gone mad! Her marks!" Oliva pants in a panic. "The guards they tried…"

Without waiting I brush past her into the room, "She's on the roof." Olivia almost screeches.

I turn and head for the staircase that leads to the top of the palace where there are several battlements. I fling the door open, once I manage to get up the stairs, tripping in my haste. Two guards stand there, one yelling above the wind and rain. I push through them to find Jonda standing on the ledge.

"Jonda," I called her, her head turns and her eyes found me.

Black veins creep across her pale skin. Her eyes look so lifeless and dark. "He's here. Master is dead. The King will die." She laughs, lifting her face to the wind and pelting rain. She stretches out her arms and manically begins to laugh. "For nothing. I died for nothing. Because the realm is at its end. Take me master for I now live for the darkness."

I'm not fast enough, I spring forward to grab my sister watching her lean forward. "Jonda!" I scream as her body gracefully falls forward. At the same time, a sharp pain hits my chest and I clutch it, leaning over the ledge as I watch my sister fall to her death.

My neck begins to burn, then through the rain and snow, I watch Jonda's body hit the ground, hearing the thud with my wolf ears. I cry out in anguish and pain, one hand gripping my neck over my mark. The other grasping at my chest.

"KELLEN!" My mates name pours from my mouth at the intensity of the burning sensation from my mark.

It can't be. He can't be dead. Not again.

Large hands scoop me off the ground. I can hear the yelling and the loud growls, but I have no idea what they are saying. It's muted sound. My head spins.

"Kellen," I grumble as the fire on my neck subsides but the ache in my chest grows. "Kellen… Jonda…"

My sister is dead. My mate is gone.

My body ceases and Mora howls at the disconnect from our mate. Through the black spots that haze my sight, I hear Connor crying. Jonda's baby's shrill scream accompanies my sons.

*****

MIKE

I stumbled in my bid to reach my best friends. My heart is plummeting. Sinking quickly as the rip in in the fabric of our realm closes up. Watching as my two best friends were swallowed into another space and time.

The army of black - darkness swarmed the battlefield. Surrounding us.

I felt a change in our warriors. It was swift and consuming. A rage of emotion gripped every warrior. Every soldier. To their very core.

Chaos.

Ascena fell to the ground, the bird letting go of her and flying off. She began to fight, picking up the sword Kellen dropped. Blood soaked the older female from head to toe. The sword dripping with the blood of those she cut down.

Changelings fell to the ground and the dark army marched right over them. Hundreds of thousands had poured through the openings.

Bodies strewn around us. So many that we couldn't tell who ours was and who wasn't.

Our Queen vanished. Ripped through a portal. Just like that.

The King of wolves, Kellen, held on to her as it sucked her in. Crippling me.

It crippled all of us.

I had failed again.

I push my anguish and feeling of loss to the side "Prepare to defend your lives!" I cried out. It was every man for himself now. This would not be in vain.

I searched for Mathias as I cut into faceless men. Finding him on his knees., only feet from where Kellen and Lamia fell through the rip. Holding his neck and roaring in pain with his eyes glued to where his mate vanished.

"Arcas!" I growled, reaching out to his beast. I could see King was losing it, clutching his neck as if it was on fire. I just couldn't tell if he would start ripping these things apart. Or if he was too far gone. could he be feeling his bond to Lamia break.

My own connection to Kellen and Lamia severed.

But I refused to believe Kellen and Lamia were dead.

"MATHIAS!" "We can't get her back if we're all dead!" This seemed to jar him.

Thank fuck for that, I thought, when his eyes began to glow, and fur began to sprout from his hands and up his arms - Transitioning into his beast. Arcas.

Rhett falls to his knees, clutching his chest. Weakened by something or someone. "Jonda." I barely hear his whispered word as he gasps for breath.

I Whip my sword at anything and everything that gets in my path.

"Use your gift witch!" Travis screams out. Fighting off the dark ones that come for them. Lyric and I begin to fight again, staying close as we fight our way through and over bodies.

Morgan's eyes begin to glow a brilliant hue of purple, her fingers curl in and she dives to the ground, pushing those hands beneath the fast-settling snow and into the dirt.

Around us, wisps of green energy begin to rise from the ground. And apparitions appear rising from beneath us. "Destroy the enemy!" She commands the undead and a wall of incorporeal echoes moves towards Senko's army and the things that have passed through to our realm.

The deadly ghosts pass through the dark army, yet they still advance and more and more trickle through.

I was losing hope, but for the sake of our realm I had to give hope.

"Fall back and regroup!" I command New Moon. Travis did the same with MacTire's fighters who like everyone else felt the loss of their Queen.

"You heard the Alpha!" Tawny calls out and Crimson commands the remainder of their soldiers to do the same.

Tobias takes charge of Riocht and Finn instructs the clans of Kodiak who came to fight.

Rogues and subordinates who fought with Senko began to see what was happening. Men with yellow eyes began to cower now their leader had fallen. Slinking back, ready to run now they have no one to fight for.

A gruesome howl sounds out, piercing through the elements and over the rage of battle. At first, I thought its Conri and turn with hope.

"Rogues! And lost ones! Don't you dare cower! If we live to fight another day, then the moon goddess has blessed us. We are survivors and we will survive this. We fight for the realm as one today!"

Heads turned and rogues stood tall as Olivers voice bellowed down from the ridge echoing through their ears. "Stand and fight with me. I will lead you!" By his side stood a female I had never seen before. Even from this distance I could see the bright yellow orbs of her eyes.

Her hair fluttered in the wind, her gaze on Crimson.

The Rogues and lost ones, as Oliver called them, looked at each other until a large werebear cried out and their allegiance changed. I didn't care that they had been fighting us only moments ago, and now they fought alongside us. The more we had to defeat whatever army of darkness this was coming through the tears in our realm - the better.

A horn blew vibrating through the masses and stilling us all. From the biggest tear of chasm, came a man bigger than Mathias and Finn.

Like a giant with dark skin covered in sigils that gleamed through the dusky surroundings. Eyes of gold and braided hair. He brought a fearful and powerful presence.

"We need to pull back!" I hear Travis shout to me. And I agree.

There was no way we could win. Our numbers had been depleted and too many were injured. Yet Mathias and Finn stood their ground.

Morgans army of the dead come back around and again they pass through the dark army, leaving them standing. "Why aren't they dying?" Travis asks her.

"They can't kill what's already dead!" She grits out, her white hair flying around her face and her eyes straining as they glow fiercely.

"Morgan!" Hunji shouts and throws something her way.

She reaches out, breaking her concentration and catches the object. I see the sparkle of a white stone in her hand and the most devious smile ever comes across her face. Her mystical eyes find me, and she mouths the word "Sorry."

In one swift motion she raises her hands and starts to chant in a foreign language. Clapping them together with the stone between her palms. The sky lights up once more and she throws the stone in the air. Lightning strikes once more, hitting the magical stone in midair and forking off.

Heading straight for… me.

Instinct takes over and Duke pushes forward all his strength. Somehow, someway I knew what to do.

My hands reach out to the striking light. It travels down my fingers, up my arms. Racing around my body. A power feeling consumes me - A newfound determination and I knew in that moment I had what was needed to end this battle.

I cry out as the energy courses through my body, sparking through and over my body. I felt lifted, empowered, dangerous and godly.

Ascena moves towards the Giant leader. Kellen's sword in her hand. She attempts to stab the dark godly like male.

He's too quick though and catches her by the throat. "The immortal." His dark and echoing voice begins to crackle. "Your time in the realm is over." And with the flick of his wrist, he snaps Ascena's neck, then pulls her head from her body. Dropping her remains to the floor.

"Where is my bride!" He bellows out, his voice vibrating over the masses, shaking the limbs of trees and the ground as he does. Lesser shifters shudder and cower.

Not me. Not now. The power I feel is bursting to be released.

"Now Mike! Now!" Morgan's scream reaching my ears as a command.

My fingers curl in and fists tighten. Time seems to slow down, and I can see Lyric fighting off dark figures, her arm bleeds and my anger rises.

Lamia and Kellen are gone.

Travis and Finn protect Morgan.

Hunji fights with determination.

Tobias joins Mathias and together they are tearing through as many enemies as they can.

Oliver commands the rogues and they fight with us, not against us for once.

Rhett swings his swords, but I can see he is severely injured. His adrenaline makes him fight on.

Rogue rips into one after another and I can see the grief on his face at losing his King. Just like all of us.

Tawny springs into action with Crimson, commanding what's left of the werecat army to charge. "We don't give up!" She screams!

Watching the people I call friends, and the ones I love fight for their life pinches my heart. This should never have been.

Electric blue sparks flickered across my knuckles. 'Do it.' Duke says. 'Or Aodh will kill us all.'

Aodh. The god of the underworld. Or one of them. Him being the most powerful in mythology the one who promised Inanna as his bride. He had come for Lamia, or at least her wolf. But she was no longer on this plane of existence.

The dark gods' golden eyes meet mine and he snarls "Astaroth" His focus on me or maybe my wolf? "You were once loyal to me."

'NOW!' My wolf screams. Duke pushes to the forefront of my mind - we become one - and the powerful magic I feel rushes to the surface.

My fists reach out like I'm throwing something. I remember screaming, I remember calling on the power of the mood goddess. I remember directing all my hate at the dark god. A pulse of blue light emanates from me. Much like it did at Golden Circle. Wave after wave of blinding light.

"Arrgggh!" I cry out pouring everything I had into throwing the magic energy at the dark army, more specifically the large dark god.

When it finally stops, the energy inside me depletes, the battlefield is silence.

The rips in the air are closing but the dark army presses on.

Suddenly the skies begin to clear, and light finds its way through the clouds. Snow ceases to fall. And the Changelings cower from the light, slinking back behind the trees and shrubs they could find.

"YOU WILL NOT KILL MY CHILDREN!" I know that voice that booms and stills the battlefield.

"Ashe," The dark god muses. "This is no longer your realm. And she is already dead."

"Stop this madness Aodh!" Ashe hisses, appearing from the far side of the battlefield. An older man by her side. "Enough!" Her flings her hand out towards the god an ethereal light coming from her hand, directed at the god.

The light hits the god, pushing him back. He snarls at Ashe, baring fangs and his red eyes glowing with fury.

Ashe sends another blast of light his way, and he cowers back, raising his arm to defend himself.

Again and again, she does it. And all we can do is look on with surprise.

Where the fuck was she hours ago?

Ashe beats the dark god back, but he has nowhere to go.

"You can not interfere!" He screeches at her.

"Go back to the underworld Aodh, there is nothing here for you. Inanna is no longer in this realm." She shouts with ferocity and finality.

Aodh opens his mouth and screams. The sound is shrewd and sharp. Black smoke pours from his mouth, accompanied by the buzz of locust that descends upon us.

Our army takes cover where we can. Warriors, rogues and Changelings alike flee for safety.

All but Arcas as he bounds to Ashe's side, scooping her up as she tries to fight the underworld god.

When the locusts clear, the field and jungle are silent. Not a breeze in the air or the sound of a bird to be heard.

Aodh the god of the underworld is gone along with his army. Leaving us all in a state of stupefaction and senselessness.

Once the rolling fog had cleared and shifters began to realize the threat for now had been neutralized, for now. The chatter began.

The warmth of the setting sun settled over us. Lyric takes hold of my hand, threading her fingers through mine. I cast my eyes over her, noticing the gashes on her arms and stomach.

"I'm already healing." She said quietly, noticing my concern. Stands of bloody hair stick to her face and I reach to brush them away.

My body begins to shake with relief. Through everything my wolf purrs because at the end of the day she is what matters most to us. That Lyric is standing next us, by our side already healing from her wounds is the only salvation I need before we deal with the fall out.

I turn, unthreading our hands and grasping her face in my palms. "I love you." I kiss her hard, pouring all my love into that bruising kiss. She melts against me, and I taste her relief and the fear that still lingers.

The longer I kiss her the more she relaxes.

"What now?" She asks once I finally pulled away. Her big velvety brown eyes staring up at me with worriment.

I gulp down my own fear of what this means to us, "I don't know." I tell her honestly. Searching for an answer in her eyes. Yet there is none.

I let go of Lyric and duck my head down taking a minute. Steading my raging heart and trying my hardest to get control of the feeling of loss. But the feeling is great. I'm not just feeling the severing of pack members but also of Kellen and Lamia.

"New Moon! Collect our wounded and dead!" I'm finally able to speak and roll out commands to our Elites and warriors. I'm in charge now. Not just here but Tala will be relying on me to lead until we can figure out how to get back Kellen and Lamia.