I lived between the stars in the darkness. The Balance was the force that held the planets in place.
I finally knew who I was.
“When Nova sent her devouring beasts to kill you, she did not realize that such a feat was against the laws of existence.” The Balance said gravely. “God sought only to destroy Death. She did not realize that to kill her sister was to kill part of herself.”
“If I am Death, why can't I remember?” I wondered.
“You are many. Surely you can think back far enough, and remember.” The Balance told me. “All Drudes are part of your being. Scattered after the Devouring beasts razed your home and ate your Demonic children.”
“I am the last one left.”
“You are all, and all are one.” The Balance said as we drifted through the stars.
“Why am I here?” I asked.
“You are Mara. Goddess of Death, Rebirth, and Dreams. Sister to Nova, God of Life, Birth, and Creation. It was time for you to come home.”
The swirling colored gases expanded further across the cosmos. Planets flourished and died in front of us.
“What about my Mates?” I asked.
“Each replaced something that you had lost to the devouring beasts.” The Balance informed me.
I thought about each one of my Bonds. Hugo was my restraint. Jae was strength in the face of his past. Remi was compassion, the only person to be kind to me even when he didn’t even know me. Davenport represented leadership and Hart, kindness. Qualities that I had lacked before.
“Demons do not require Balance.” The universe continued. “Humans do.”
“I am neither.”
“You are the mother of the Demons.” She said.
“But I'm dead.”
“Millenia have passed since Nova released the Bhakshi and the Shayati unto Hell—killing the first Demons and scattering Death and all of her facets into the shadows.” The Balance explained gravely. “Gradually, Hell regrew. Demons were reborn. Created when Sin evolved.”
“Did you do all this?” I wondered.
“I cannot interfere with the Human and Demonic Realities.” The universe said, but I had a feeling that she was lying.
“What do I do now?” I asked.
“You are the Goddess of Death, Rebirth, and Dreams.” The Balance laughed. “I need you to whip those Hunters into shape. They'll be the only thing that saves the world when the end comes.”
Chapter 28
I watched the compound from the top of a tree, as my memorial service took place in the K9 yard.
My human shell was easy enough to create once I had woken from the cosmos. I had chosen a form close enough to my true one. Wearing the dark shimmering skin of shadows, and eyes wholly swallowed by oil slicks. My hair was made up of tendrils of smoke, curling in the air as if underwater. The only difference was my ability to interact with the Human Realities. Touch, smell and taste. Power boiled under the surface of my being. I had been reborn.
Davenport stood in front of a group of Hunters. I was unable to move as I studied him, looking for the telltale signs of Dr Daniel's mannerisms. Warren's jaw gritted as he stared out at the crowd. It was only when his fingers tug his dark hair away from his face that I saw his hand tremble.
Warren Davenport, my Davenport, was alive.
Jae, Hart, Hugo, and Remi made up the front of the crowd with their hands folded in front of them. Tears rolled down Hugo's face, and his shoulders shook. There were no photos and no coffin. Scores of flowers lined the podium. I didn’t need to read the cards to know who had given which bouquet. Red roses from Davenport. Tiger lilies from Remi. Daisies from Hugo. Peonies from Hart and Azaleas from Jae.
I could feel their emotions, resonating in my chest as if they were my own. Each bond flared to life as I leaped from the tree, floating to the ground.
Remi turned first, our bond coiling tightly to bring us together. His brow furrowed as he searched the surrounding area for something, unable to find me until I made myself visible. Jae felt the bond next. His smile was blinding as his entire body unfolded from grief. Hugo stopped crying, his brow furrowed in confusion. Hart was last, rubbing his chest, but otherwise not reacting. His expression stoic as he stared forward.
Davenport was unaffected. Our bond hovered, incomplete. Two frayed edges, drifting through the ether.
The other Hunters—few that I knew and many that I didn't—began to whisper, confused as I parted the crowd and made my way to my Soulbonds. Allowing everyone to see me in my true form.
I looked more Demonic than ever, despite my divinity, but my cloak was white. The smile on my face was radiant, but cocky, as I felt the true extent of my power rolling through me. Woken by The Balance, to retake my throne as Death.
The crowd became a roar of activity. Weapons were drawn, and commands were barked. They parted like the red sea, revealing my Mates. Feeling the tension, I reigned in my shadows and made my skin more textured, affecting a human facade.
“Everyone, quiet!” Davenport barked, his voice echoed over the clearing. “Stand down.” His lip twitched, showing a hint of his arrogance.
Hugo stepped forward first; his pale blue eyes were wide, and his grin was silly as he ran towards me. Hugo Sinclair, my incubus, flung his arms around me and held me tightly. His shoulders shook with the overwhelming emotion of our reunion.
I began to cry and laugh at the same time. Huge embarrassing hiccoughing sobs.
His hand tangled in the back of my hair as he pressed me to him. “I knew you would never leave us,” Hugo whispered. “But don't ever scare me like that again.”
“How long have I been gone?” I asked.
Hart answered for him. “Three days.” I craned my neck around Hugo, to look at my mountain man. Callum reached forward as if he wanted to touch me, but his hand faltered at the last second.
“I’m sorry for doubting you,” Callum whispered. His eyes burnt with the desperate need for me to hear his apology and for it to be accepted.
I smiled, and Callum's stance relaxed for the first time since I had seen him.
Jae and Remi approached next. Remi went for a hug and a playful shove, telling me off for throwing myself into danger. Jae pressed a hard kiss against my mouth before breaking away with a wink and a subtle demand for information (later).
Then came Davenport.
His long legs ate up the distance between us, like a man on a mission. I wanted to ask what kind of creature he was, but I should have seen it before. His team were called Team Phoenix for Hell's sake.
I expected the commander to begin to rip into me for taking down the Ifrit and putting myself in danger, possibly for getting him killed, or maybe for some other slight that was human in nature and therefore unfathomable to me.
Instead, Davenport dipped down and used his weight to leverage my body over his shoulder, his arm wrapped around my thighs just under my bum.
The crowd that had started to disperse began to pay attention once more, as Davenport carried me away, with the rest of my Mates following.
Warren Davenport led our group past the condemned shell of Jae's old cabin, and down a narrow path until he found what he was looking for.
I arched my back to try and see where we were going, only to receive a harsh smack on my butt.
“What was that for?” I laughed despite the stinging pain.
“That’s for running off and sacrificing yourself when we could have found another way to handle the situation.” Davenport snarled.