Supernatural Tales - Book I

Chapter 31

(Unedited)

Iris had woken up with a gasp...

"Tulip." Her daughter's name echoed in her mind like a breathless whisper, she was heaving, and for a moment she had been scared that it was all a dream but her vampire had calmed her at once.

The realization brought a gentle smile on her lips, her heart soaring for the amazing children she was destined to have, and Iris sighed deeply before looking up only to scowl at the abhorrent scene before her. It took Iris a while to realize that her family was not frozen in time but because of shock and when she noticed Athena's hand was hanging inches away from Esme's face, she remembered Tulip's words which made her smile again. It didn't come as a shock to her when she could feel her Red and Blue again, their bond was rehabilitated, and she had felt Azure before she even neared her while she was aware of Sybil's eyes too. It was only when Azure was kneeling before she did Iris realize that she was on the floor of her room.

Azure looked like she was about to break...

"I-Iris?" Azure was too scared to hope when she whispered her sister's name, terrified of it being a dream, and Iris had felt her pain as if her own; causing her hands to find her Blue's face at once.

"I'm here, Blue. I--" Iris hadn't even been able to speak properly before Sybil had crashed into her arms, sobbing as she had never heard her before, and she had merely held her before pulling her Blue in too; feeling their hurt.

"No need to cry, Red. I am here now. Everything is okay." Iris cooed gently through their bond, knowing Sybil needed to hear her like that, and Azure had held her tighter; needing to feel her.

"I-I thought-- I couldn't save you, Iris. I-I couldn't stop you from leaving. I thought you left us." Sybil sobbed helplessly, shaking like a leaf, and when Iris's vampire reached out to them, the Princesses were shocked to feel them after so long.

"I am sorry, Red, Blue. I should have never given up like that. I lost hope and I did not see a way out. But now I know better." Iris told her sisters happily, allowing the emotion to flow through their bond, and while the Princesses moved away to look at her in confusion, Iris's eyes found Almighty.

Iris had gotten up without looking away from the form of light...

"I do not have the words to thank you, Almighty. I-I did not know I was worthy of what you have given me. I do not know how to be worthy of this blessing." Iris was having trouble finding words as she moved closer to Almighty, Azure and Sybil right beside her, and the sisters had felt Almighty's mercy shining on them.

"You are worthy, Iris. You are more than worthy... You were selfless, even at your last breath, and your heart remained pure despite it all. You never questioned or doubted me. Even when anyone else in your place might have... I simply felt compelled by your devotion to carry out a miracle. Your last prayer to me was to grant your mate's wishes and happiness and this is what she wished. So, I did." Almighty's words wrapped around Iris like warmth, filling her with gratitude, and Azure held her breath when she noticed their light reaching out to her sister's face.

"You have spent way too long with this. It is time to let it go now." Iris's heart raced when she realized what Almighty was talking about and she had felt anxious when her mask started melting from her face; fear gripping her.

"What if I hurt them?" Iris inquired in a small voice as she closed her eyes, feeling unsure of losing the mask that had been protecting her and everyone for so long, and she had felt her sisters grabbing her arms at those words.

There were several startled gasps when Iris's face was revealed at long last...

"You won't hurt anyone, Iris. Not as long as you do not push them away." Almighty replied gently, caressing Iris's face with their light to ease her heart, and Azure had nodded with a teary smile while Sybil sniffed like a baby.