d..、，.. #MY_BLACK_KNIGHT d..、，..
Happen 54
#Phase 1
As Produced By Sheriff Squinty
Theme: Un-hidden Secrets
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Rebekah’s beautiful eyes blinked once, then twice as she slowly focused on her surroundings while Raziel and I stared in complete bewilderment.
“Rebekah,” Raziel breathed, and my eyes were drawn to his face. His
expression contained relief and tenderness so profound that I almost felt
like an intruder. I knew Raziel cared for Gabriel, but I had never seen this
intensity on his face before. Slowly, the Angel stepped toward his daughter, almost as if he was scared she would fall back into a coma with any sudden movements.
“F-father?” Rebekah stammered, her melodic voice rusty with disuse. I
turned back to stare at her, still caught in my state of disbelief. As
Rebekah’s brown eyes found her father’s approaching figure, she began to try to sit up. Her movements were awkward and stiff and she looked as if
she were about to collapse back into the coffin, but in a nanosecond Raziel was there, his arm around Rebekah’s shoulders as he lifted her into a sitting
position. “Where am I? What happened? I . . .” The woman trailed off,
blinking yet again as she gazed around the room and her brow furrowed in confusion.
I couldn’t imagine what she must’ve be feeling, waking up in the middle of a mausoleum. Her searching gaze stopped before she saw me huddled in the shadows as Raziel got her attention.
“We’re near my house,” Raziel spoke softly, soothingly. “What’sthe last thing you remember?”
“I don’t . . .” Rebekah shook her head, soft curls tumbling forward and hiding most of her expression from my view.
“It’s fine. We can get you inside, talk then. I’m just…I’m so glad you’re
awake.” Raziel’s love for his daughter laced histone with warmth. His head turned then, bright blue eyes connecting with mine. There were pools of
hope and gratefulness, and I knew he was thanking me wordlessly. I smiled back, still feeling out of breath and not quite trusting my voice yet.
Bracing myself, I stood up from the wall, catching my balance as the world tilted slightly on its axis. Rebekah must have heard my movement because her head whipped around an in an instant, her penetrating gaze was on me. “Who are you?” She croaked out, and I detected a hint of authority in her
tone. She’d been a Luna, after all. I opened my mouth to reply but Raziel spoke for me.
“She’s a friend. I’ll tell you more back inside. I’m going to lift you out now.” The woman nodded, and Raziel had her in his arms seconds later. It was
something I’d never expected to see. Rebekah had a strange expression on her face, and I got the impression she did not like being carried around but she didn’t have much choice.
“Skylar, lead the way,” Raziel ordered, and I shakily walked towards the exit of the mausoleum. Some of my fatigue had thankfully abated, but I knew I needed to sit down as soon as possible. “Can you walk?” Raziel asked, and both of their eyes were on me.
“Yeah, I think so,” I breathed out heavily.
“Did you heal me?” Rebekah asked suddenly, eyeing me keenly. Her voice was a bit stronger.
“She’s a Pack Doctor, more or less,” Raziel said, once again answering for me.
“I thought I heard a voice in my mind . . .” was her quiet reply. She was
gazing at me with renewed interest. There was a vivid intelligence in her eyes that I found quite intimidating. Or, it could’ve just been the fact that she was my Mate’s mother.
We began the trek up to Raziel’s house, me keeping my breathing even
while my Wolf whispered encouraging words in the back of my mind. To
my surprise, when we were almost there Rebekah demanded to be put
down. Raziel protested, but his daughter would not take no for an answer, and soon she was stumbling along with her father’s arm supporting her. I
couldn’t help a small smile from gracing my lips; she was as stubborn as her son, and had a lot of spirit.
Minutes later I plopped down on an armchair with a relieved sigh while
Raziel helped Rebekah onto the couch. She lay back, and I could see a thin
sheen of sweat on her forehead. Despite her stubborn insistence on
walking, it had tired her out. She’d been in a coma for years, after all, and I was surprised she’d even managed to stay upright.
I could feel her intense stare on me as Raziel fetched some water and food. I knew I was Luna now and was supposed to hold my head high with
authority but I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. It was likely because she had Angel blood, and held herself regally, like a queen. Even in this state she looked noble and proud.
Raziel returned, placing a water bottle in front of me and then going to
tend to his daughter. The way she gulped down multiple glasses of water
and ate an entire plate of crackers gave away just how weak she was
despite her demeanor. I watched with avid interest at the way Raziel had treated her. I’d never pictured him as a doting parent, but after his
daughter had been close to death for so many years, could I blame him?
“Okay, okay, I’mfine,” Gabriel’s mother eventually said, hoisting herself into a sitting position despite her father’s disapproval. “I have to know…the way
you’retreating me, I must have been asleep for a long time.” I thought I saw a glimmer of trepidation in her eyes before she continued. “Tell
me…how many years have passed since I last saw you?”
Raziel closed his eyes, dreading her reaction, I assumed. “Almost ten years.” A gasp escaped Rebekah’s lips and her eyes widened in horror. “Ten . . . ten years? But I-“ She shook her head furiously. “No. It can’t be true.” Her head snapped up as she fixated on Raziel. “I’m remembering everything now. The vampires . . . Cain . . . please tell me he isn’t still out there. He isn’t still
hunting for my son.”
Something in my chest tightened as she mentioned Gabriel and I looked away, trying to hide my expression.
Raziel’s jaw had clenched, his eyes hooded. “I wish I could tell you that,
Rebekah, but I can’t. I tried everything to wake you up, but nothing worked, until Skylar used her Affinity. If I could’ve woken you sooner-“
“Where is Gabriel?” She cut him off, stone-faced.
“Gone.” To my surprise, the words escaped my lips before Raziel could
speak. My voice was weak and pathetic, but for once I didn’t care. Having to think about Gabriel was excruciating. “He went after Cain, to protect the
Pack.”
Rebekah gazed at me incredulously, but she must have seen something in my expression, for her eyes wandered down to the vivid Mark on my neck. “You . . . are you Gabriel’s Mate?” She breathed out after a moment.
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
I bit my lip and nodded, not trusting my voice. The shock in the room was palpable. “How long ago did you Mate?” She asked me. I wondered if she was really asking if Gabriel’s Mark had faded.
“Recently,” was my whispered reply. “He left the morning after. He went after Cain, thinking it’s the only option.”
Her eyes closed and she breathed out heavily. Worry was etched on her
features and it only served to increase my own fear for Gabriel’s safety.
“I’m not sure how I woke you up, but I was desperate. Raziel said you’re the only one who knows about the Ritual. I can’t let Gabriel risk his life like that.
You’re our only hope.” Rebekah’s eyes snapped open as I spoke. The words were rushed, pleading, and I stared at her, hoping she’d perceive the
intensity of my feelings.
“You all had better catch me up on the last ten years, then,” she said after a moment of tense silence. “We don’t have any time to waste.”
—
Half an hour later, the three of us were seated at the kitchen table, eating
some chicken Raziel had hastily heated up for us. The situation may have
seemed normal, but for thirty minutes Raziel and I had been explaining
everything that had happened since Gabriel and I met. I left nothing out
about my kidnapping, Anne’s death, Cain’s haunting messages for me or
the way Gabriel had blocked me out after he left. Raziel covered everything else including what we knew about the vampires and the Ritual.
Rebekah was silent for a long time, absorbing all of our words. Her regal
features were grim as she realized that the vampires had found her pack
and her son, and I could see worry lingering in the depths of her eyes.
“Therefore, because Cain’s lifeforce depends on Gabriel’s, Gabriel will kill
him as soon as he completes the Ritual and is incapacitated,” Raziel finished outlining Gabriel’s plan. I glanced at Rebekah, wondering what she would
think of Gabriel’s rash decision-making.
To my shock, her countenance had morphed into one of absolute horror. “He’s going to kill Cain AFTER the Ritual?” She demanded breathlessly.
Raziel nodded. “The book said-“
“No,” she snapped icily. The two of us froze in confusion. “He can’t. If Gabriel kills Cain, Gabriel will die, too.”
“What?” I gasped.
“The book you read may say otherwise, but I looked into all of this and
studied everything I could about the Ritual for eight years. Cain isn’t going to have a vulnerability like that. He has a few tricks up his sleeve, a few
secrets not in the book. He is tweaking the Ritual to his liking . . . and one of his tricks is to tie Gabriel’s life force to his.”
Horror struck me as the realization dawned, and I suddenly felt sick. Raziel’s face had paled considerably.
“I thought Rituals can’t be altered-”
“The oldest vampire in the world has the power to do so,” Rebekah replied. “Gabriel can’t kill Cain after the Ritual. They will both die.” Her eyes met
mine, and I saw something flash in their depths. “It isn’t just that. Skylar,
you Mating with my son actually worked in Cain’s favor. You see, the Ritual links Cain to his coven. Who do you think it will link Gabriel with?”
I sat there, frozen, my Wolf whining in the back of my mind as she came to the same conclusion I did. “Me. If Gabriel kills Cain, Gabriel and I will both die.”
Raziel stood up abruptly, shoving his chair back. The harsh screeching made me wince and I balled my hands into fists.
“No, it isn’t possible. “
“Trust me. I had a very reliable source.” Rebekah’s eyes glinted and I wondered who she was referring to.
“This is my fault. I encouraged him with this plan, I told him it was the only way! And now you are telling me that for Cain to die, Gabriel and Skylar
have to die, too?” I’d never seen him this distraught. His electric blue eyes were snapping with guilt. I could only sit there, feeling a rush of misery as I realized just how fragile my life was, how I hung in the balance.
“It isn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known; it’s practically a miracle that I know. Cain is counting on the fact that we don’t know. He’s twisted, Father. He always has a back up plan.” She sighed heavily, resignation forming on her beautiful face. “That isn’t the extent of what I learned that you don’t
already know. Cain will be vulnerable during the Ritual, that’s true. Even if he is willingly given Gabriel’s blood, he will be in some pain.” Her mouth
twisted in a grimace. “But Gabriel will, too. That,s how the Ritual works.
BOTH of them will be in pain until the Ritual is complete. So you see, there,s noway for Gabriel to kill Cain when he,s at his weakest.”
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#Tbc
#phase 2 dropped already.
Refresh page to read
_ _-Agboola-_ _
d..、，.. #MY_BLACK_KNIGHT d..、，..
Happen 54
#Phase 2
As Produced By Sheriff Squinty
Theme: Un-Hidden Secrets
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You could,ve heard a pin drop. Raziel placed his hands on the table, arms taut with anger and frustration.
“So what do we do?” l whispered, staring off into the distance. Some part of me screamed for me to get it together, but I was still struggling with the
concept of life and death. I was a flickering candle flame that Cain could
blow out at any second. Hell, they could be performing the Ritual now! And the thought of Gabriel dying, too, was unbearable for both me and my
Wolf.
“We have to stop him before the Ritual starts,” Raziel answered, beginning to pace like he usually did when he was in deep contemplation. I clasped
my hands and stared down at my intertwined fingers, trying not to panic. A Luna wouldn’t panic in a crisis. I had to be strong.
We don’t even know where this Ritual is! Or when it will betaking place! My Wolf howled, and I knew she was right. Trying to find Cain when we
couldn’t hardly catch his scent would be like finding a needle in a haystack. It all seemed so hopeless.
Bringing myself out of my internal monologue, I glanced at Rebekah. She
appeared to be in deep thought like I was, but to my surprise, there was no confusion on her features. Instead, it seemed like she had decided on
something. The woman was silent for a few long moments, and I aimlessly wondered if she was talking with her Wolf. Her Wolf was alive again,
obviously, since I had brought her back . . . right? The complicated mess my life was becoming was giving me a headache.
She suddenly straightened her shoulders, tilting her chin up with defiance. I marveled at the strength of this woman’s spirit, her resilience even after a decade of slumber. “Father, I have a plan,” she said, determination ringing in her voice. I felt hope unfurl in my stomach and I watched her wordlessly. Raziel stopped his abrupt movements and turned to face her. “What is it?” She glanced at me, a brown curl falling forward and framing her face. “I’m sorry, Skylar, but would you mind if I talk to my father alone?”
I bit my lip, hesitating. I didn’t want to argue with Rebekah but I desperately needed to know how we were going to save Gabriel.
“I’ll tell you everything, I promise,” the woman continued. Was that compassion I saw in her eyes? “I just need to talk to him first.”
“There’s a guest bedroom upstairs, and your bag is by the door. Make yourself at home and we will find you,” Raziel said.
“It won’t take long.”
Sighing, I nodded in resignation. It wasn’t really my place to come between them, and we already owed Rebekah for telling us some aspects of the
Ritual that we never would’ve known. I was already going stir-crazy but I
knew I couldn’t be rash in this situation. I had to trust Gabriel’s mother; she wanted her son back as much as I did.
*
As Produced By Sheriff Squinty
*
I trodded upstairs, my bag of necessities slung over my back. It was now dark outside, so I couldn’t go anywhere tonight either way. As I opened a nearby door and found the guest bedroom Raziel mentioned, I slowly
walked to the window on the room’s far wall. Normally the moon was a
reassuring sight that brought out my inner Wolf, but tonight all I could do was hope that the Ritual wasn’t taking place. Gabriel would have no idea that he’d be completely helpless during the Ritual, and even if he found a way to take Cain out once they got their strength back, he would still . . . I couldn’t think about it.
Was it worth the sacrifice, to stop Cain’s coven forever? Was it worth it for my pack to lose both their Alpha and Luna? Realistically, I thought that the number of werewolf lives we would save would make it a worthy sacrifice. I wished that I could be selfless and brave and willingly give my life up for
my pack. I couldn’t, though. I was completely terrified of dying and of
losing Gabriel. I knew I should be nobler, but I couldn’t help the pervading fear of death and consuming darkness. If there was away to kill Cain
without dying, if Rebekah had a plan, we HAD to try it. Dying in sacrifice to save other werewolves would be a last resort. I still had so much to live for. My thoughts continued to repeat on an endless cycle as I unpacked my
bag, although I planned on staying only a night. I was exhausted from my running all day and the effort it had taken to awaken Rebekah. I needed
this nights’ sleep, but guilt continued to claw at my insides. Every second I spent in Raziel’s house was a second I could be chasing Gabriel down.
He needs us, my Wolf whined softly.
I know, and I want to be reckless and follow him, but we don’t even know where he is. And we’re no good to him dead.
He won’t die, she replied vehemently.
If we want to keep him alive, our best chance is to work with Rebekah’s plan, whatever that is.
My Wolf was silent for a brief spell. She was a great Luna. I can tell, she said softly.
I agreed with her. Rebekah had just woken up from ten years of sleep, yet
she was already thinking proactively on how to save her son. She was
driven and strong; everything a good Luna should be. Even though I had
just met her I felt like I knew a lot of aspects of her personality. Perhaps it
was because I’d been inside her mind whenever I’d awoken her, or maybe it was just my intuition.
She had left Gabriel, though. She did it to help him, but I knew her absence had a lingering effect on her son. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Would I do the same thing to help my family?
Shaking off my deep thoughts, I realized I’d been up here for half an hour, lost in my own mind, but Rebekah and Raziel were still downstairs. I had
refrained from eavesdropping out of politeness, but shouldn’t they be done conversing by now? I quietly walked over to the closed bedroom door and put my ear up against the wood. Utilizing my werewolf hearing, I decided
to just catch a snippet of their conversation to determine what was going on.
At first, I heard nothing. I frowned in confusion. Just before I was going to open the door, though, Raziel’s voice drifted to my ears.
“I missed you so much, Rebekah,” the Angel said. I detected a wealth of
emotion in his tone, and for the dozenth time I was struck by his change in behavior. I could tell that despite his cool façade and his immortal nature, he really could love. Even a Holy being was capable of human feelings. It
was relieving and disconcerting at the sametime.
Rebekah murmured something that I couldn’t quite catch and I decided not to intrude. He hadn’t seen her for ten years, after all, eventhough Rebekah had mentioned at dinner that while she slept, time had felt indeterminable.
A scant few minutes later I heard footsteps approaching. I sat up, expecting Raziel, so I was completely caught off guard when I caught a whiff of
Rebekah’s flowery scent and heard a light rapping on the door.
“Come in,” I said hesitantly. I still wasn’t quite sure how to behave in front of Gabriel’s mother. In different circumstances, we could’ve had a happy
first meeting, but our encounter so far had been grim. Rebekah opened the
door and walked in gracefully, most signs of fatigue gone, although she
looked a bit pale. That Angel blood must’ve ensured an even swifter
recovery than the average werewolf’s healing ability would’ve allowed.
To my surprise, she looked . . . calm. I took this as a good sign that they’d worked out a plan. Rebekah studied me a moment before a light smile
tugged at her lips. “Do you mind if I sit down?” She gestured at the bed
where I was sitting.chat Nath up on zero eight zero sixty-seven, twenty-six,
eighty-three, sixty-eight, to be added to his group to enjoy more interesting stories from there.
“Please do,” I replied politely, wishing I could be less formal and awkward. She sat down fluidly on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. “Good news. Raziel and I worked out a plan.”
I released a breath I hadn’t even been aware I was holding. “That is good news. What’s the plan?”
“Well, there are a lot of parts to it. First, we’re going to go see an old friend of mine.”
“Old friend?” What friend wouldn’t mind her showing up on their doorstep ten years later?
“Well, I guess you could say . . . source. She helped me find out a lot of information about the Ritual.”
“Where is she?”
“Several hours by car. We’re leaving tonight.”
“Oh.” I looked down, relieved that we were implementing the plan as soon as possible but not excited to be traveling at night. What if there were
vampires on my trail? Then again, I’d left during the day, so there was no
way they could’ve tracked me already. Their noses weren’t made for tracking scents, or so I’d been told.
“You look tired,” Rebekah said softly. I looked up to see her watching me, concern knitting her brow.
I gave a half-hearted smile. “I’m fine. I just did a lot of running today.” Gabriel’s mother watched me for a moment, and I felt that she was
perceiving more about me than I wanted her to. It was like the walls
blocking out my emotion crumbled when she gave me that piercing look. I quickly tried to change the subject.
“What more can your friend tell us that you didn’t already know all those years ago?”
“I’m hoping she can tell me what she promised to tell me all those years ago…the location and timing of the Ritual.”
My eyes widened. That would be most fortunate indeed. “How do you know she’s still around?”
Rebekah sighed softly. “Trust me, Skylar, I’m sure she hasn’t moved far from where I last met her.”
I blinked in confusion, feeling as if her answer did not satisfy my question at all. Rebekah was studying me again, her eyes trailing down to linger on my Mark. There was kindness in her gaze and I realized that right now, I was
her closest link to Gabriel.
“I’d always hoped my son would find someone.” Her eyes closed briefly. “It’s just . . . I’m sure he’s told you what happened to me.”
“Yeah.” What else was I supposed to say? That her Mark faded, Gabriel’s father went crazy, and she abandoned them? She had good reason, but still.
“I would do anything to save you that pain, but you knew the risks, didn’t you? When you let him Mark you?”
“I did. I know what can happen, but he’s worth it,” I responded honestly.
She smiled ruefully. “You’revery determined to get him back, I can sense it. I know you’d goto the ends of the earth for him.”
I looked down at my hands, feeling my cheeks reddening. “I just feel like there isn’t much I can do. I don’t have Angelic strength, and I’m clueless about the Ritual.”
“You’re strong, though,” was her reply. “Raziel told methat he tried using a Pack Doctor before. He threw caution to the winds years ago and brought one here, but they couldn’t wake me up. Their Affinity wasn’t powerful
enough.”
I stared at her, my Wolf and I struck with surprise. So Raziel really had tried my tactic before, then. “I don’t understand. I just recently got my Affinity.” “Yes, but my son Marked you. You have the power of a Luna, but it’s even more than that. You’re directly linked to one of Angelic ancestry. You may not have Angel blood yourself but your bond with Gabriel strengthens
you.”
It made sense, how I was the only one who could wake her up, or at least it made more sense now. “There’s never been a Luna Pack Doctor with an
Angelic Alpha as a Mate before?” I replied, smiling slightly as I tried to
make light of the situation. Rebekah responded with a slight smile in return. “I wish I could’ve met you under different circumstances,” she said softly.
Her eyes flashed with some emotion that I couldn’t place, but I assumed it was worry for her son.
“Yeah. Me too. I could learn a lot from you.” The last part came out without my consent and I blushed again.
Rebekah laughed, but there was an edge of bitterness to it. “I wouldn’t encourage you to make my mistakes, Skylar. I abandoned my family, fell out of love with my Mate, and even craved human companionship.” Her expression transformed into one of guilt and self-loathing, a certain
hollowness in her voice. I realized she truly did regret her decisions.
“It wasn’t your fault, it was your Angelic blood. And you left to protect your family, right?”
She gazed at me wryly. “You’revery understanding, but I know that Gabriel suffered because I left. I thought I did the right thing, but in the end, my
sacrifices were for nothing.” Rebekah pursed her lips and again, I saw that
undecipherable emotion on her face. A certain darkness flickered across her features, and I was sure she was partially referring to when she tried to kill her Wolf. I wondered what it was like sharing a consciousness with the
being you tried to destroy. The thought was so alarming that I pushed it away.
“Well, you can apologize to Gabriel when you see him. Because we’re going to find him,” I replied, determination laced in my tone.
Rebekah glanced at me and I saw a glint of admiration in her brown orbs. “You have spirit, Skylar. I think you’ll be a great Luna.”
With the compliment coming from a beautiful, former Luna, werewolf-
Angel hybrid, I blushed furiously and ducked my head shyly. I could only
hope she was right. Rebekah smiled at me, and this time there was a gleam of white teeth behind it that indicated her emotion was sincere.
“Now let’s get going. There is a lot to tell you about my friend we’re going to meet, but it can wait until later. You can sleep on the way, too. Raziel’s driving.” With one last glance at me she departed and I let out a heavy
breath.
Well, at least my first one-on-one meeting with Gabriel’s mother hadn’t gone badly.
—
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#Tobecontinued….
This Happen has been split into two in consideration of readers whose phone is can’t open long characters.
You’re welcome.
Next Happen Drops 2mao.
Don’t miss it!
_ _-Agboola-_ _