her tone reverent, and I take a deep breath and wipe at the tears on my cheeks with my forearm. That was intense.
I turn back to the Hellgate and press my hand against the next skull. I’m not pulled into any more flashbacks, but a wave of emotion hits me nonetheless. It’s as though the bones are acknowledgin’ my presence, recognizin’ me for what I am and fillin’ me with love and gratitude. I’ve never experienced anythin’ like it, and each time I press my blood against the bones of my ancestors, I give them my thanks and love for all who came before me and all who will come long after.
Tears drip down my cheeks, and I hear little sniffles comin’ from Delta behind me. When I reach the last skull, I have to cut my palm again, since the wound I created before has started to close up. I reach up and complete what I now know is some kind of healin’ ritual, a reset so to speak, our blood bein’ the catalyst and necessary ingredient to help renew the protections built into it.
As soon as I’m done, a sense of rightness floods me, and I step back, a huge smile spreadin’ across my face. Time picks back up to normal, and I look up at the Hellgate and watch as the tint of the flames turns from the bright and electric purple of Delta’s color to the warm, soothin’ lilac that matches my own hair and wings. The flames grow thicker and even more ferocious than before, but the heat no longer stings my skin. Instead, it warms me to my very core.
Satisfaction and belongin’ settles into the deepest recesses of my soul, and I feel whole in a way I’ve never experienced before.
“You have to watch! Turn around, it’s the coolest thing,” Delta tells me excitedly, and I spin and wait for my eyes to settle on what she’s talkin’ about.
Slowly, grass and flowers start to sprout up from right under my feet and move out down the corridor like ocean waves lappin’ at the shore. I jump back with a surprised gasp, and the soothin’ flames of the Hellgate lick comfortingly up my back. Delta laughs as she turns to watch the vegetation spread from just the one side of the corridor to now fill the entire middle section of the path and extend out almost all the way to the entrance of Hell’s embrace.
It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed. I feel a sense of profound accomplishment, like this is exactly what I was meant to do, and this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
As I watch, trees grow, flowers bloom, and soft lookin’ grass sprouts up and spreads. I wouldn’t have expected anythin’ so beautiful to adorn the Gates of Hell, but...my eyes land on Alder, and I correct that thought. Of course Hell would be beautiful. Just look at the incredible beings it creates. My mates bein’ two of them.
My eyes fill with love, and like he can feel my eyes on him, he turns from the sight of the garden to look back at me. Alder’s gaze warms, his own love and appreciation pourin’ out as a proud smile takes over his full lips while Delta steps into Rafferty’s open arms for a hug.
“You did it. I can feel that the portal is shut down again, and you stabilized the Hellgate,” Alder tells me with pride.
The corners of my lips tilt up. “Yeah, and it looks like I can also do a thing or two with flowers too,” I tease him as I glance at the bloom still clutched in his tattooed hand. “And you’re right. I think this purple color has grown on me,” I say, gesturin’ back to the flames that now match me.
Alder laughs, and his adorin’ gaze moves behind me to take in the beautiful color of the Gate.
But then, his smile starts to falter. I don’t even get a chance to wonder why.
I feel arms wrap around me from behind, and then suddenly, I’m bein’ pulled back like I’m a fish that just succumbed to the lure of bait on a hook.
I’m yanked back so hard that I can’t even scream before somethin’ is bein’ spoken into my ear, and alarmingly, I feel my whole body go limp under the order to comply. It’s as though the fight was just stolen right out from under me like a rug bein’ ripped up.
Fear