Death & Desire

Chapter Six

I woke up in my room, someone holding my hand. I turned slowly, Thanatos. I squeezed his hand and his eyes flew open.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"No."

"What's wrong? What can I do?"

"He's dead," I whispered.

"Who?"

"My mate, Linkin. He's dead," I felt tears in my eyes.

"Riv..."

"I need to go to him. I need to see him," I tried to get up and collapsed on the floor.

"Here," I felt him teleport us.

"Where am I going?"

"There, the pack house."

Than carried me into the house, which was empty. It was never empty.

"Put me down," I ordered. I leaned on Than's arm and made my way outside.

Following my instinct, I walked towards the woods. As I walked through them, I saw the bodies of the pack warriors. I walked past them, I was looking for Linkin. Then I heard it, the sound of sobbing. I found it coming from Lexi, and I found Linkin. I collapsed beside them, holding on to Linkin.

"Rivi," Lexi cried.

"I know, shh."

"Bring him back! He told me who you were, and you can bring him back!"

"Lexi... I can't. Someone has to take his place."

"Then I will!"

"No. I can't let you. He would not have wanted that."

"I know."

"What happened?"

"Rouges. So many of them, I'm only alive because he told me to hide in the trees."

I turned to Than, "Get your brother, now." He didn't question it, I turned back to Lexi. "Did Linkin tell you about the guy I wanted you to meet?"

She hiccuped, "Hypnos?"

"Yes, he's your mate. He wants to meet you more than anything. So here's what we're going to do, you're going to go with him to my home. He'll get you washed up and make sure you get food and rest okay?"

She nodded, "But Link..."

"I'll take care of everything. You go with your mate." I handed her to Hypnos, "Take care of her. Tell the chef to make soup, and run her a bath. Have her eat and lay down with her and make sure she sleeps."

"I will." He teleported out.
Once he was gone, I turned to Than. "Help me?"

He knelt at my side, "What do you need me to do?"

"I can't, won't take his soul. I need you to, and I need to give them a proper goodbye."

"Alright," Than quickly gathered his soul.

Together we moved all of the Warriors to the grotto collecting souls as we went. Finally we had piled them all on a raft we put together quickly. Using a match from the house, I set it ablaze.

"You all deserve to have a proper funeral, but this is the best we could do. I hope you all find peace in Hades."

We teleported back to Hades, where Charon was letting the shades of the warriors off the boat. I quickly found Linkin.

"Linkin, I'm so sorry," i gestured for him to follow me. I led him to a cliff that overlooked the entire realm.

"Don't be. Riv, we were never meant to be together. You may have been my mate, but I was never your destined. I knew, right after you came back."

"I'm going to miss you so much. I'll visit you..."

"No you won't. I want you to be happy, find your true destined. I'm not telling you to forget me, I'm just telling you to remember what we had not what could have been."

"Always, and I'll try to move on."

"Good, now before I go promise me two things."

"Anything."

"Take care of Lexi."

"Of course. She's with her mate right now," I smiled sadly.

"Second, kiss Thanatos. Now I know what you're thinking. I want you to really kiss him, and compare it to ours. Do not feel bad!" He paused. "He loves you, and I think you love him."

"I'm just so confused."

"I know. Now, go and talk to Lexi, make sure she's alright. I'm going to talk to Thanatos, and then rejoin my pack."

"Goodbye," I teleported to Lexi not waiting for an answer.