Looking Back

Chapter 94

Avery

That thing slammed her hand into Gabriel's chest before I could even hope to react. I let out a piercing scream as he turned to look at me one last time. "Shh, d...don't cry, Chaton, I love you," he choked out and gave me a soft smile. His blue eyes glistened with tears and love as he looked at me, then became vacant as she ripped his still-beating heart from his chest.

I could hear my own heart pounding in my ears as I fell to my knees, and somewhere in my mind, I heard Luke's roar. He would feel Gabriel's death instantly, just as I had.

The creature moved toward a terrified Olivia and pinched open her mouth, squeezing the blood from his heart into it, then smearing it across the odd-looking door - no, the gate behind her. "That's it servant, time to fulfill your end of the bargain. Let his magic fill you and open the gate. All of your sufferings will end soon," the queen spoke in a soft voice more like the one Chloe had in human form. Olivia's body twitched and rippled as she reached out for the handle.

"Olivia, don't!" I screamed.

Tears streamed down her face as she reached for the plain door. "I...I can't stop," she stammered. I watched in horror as her hand grasped the old-fashioned handle. It flashed red as if it were suddenly burning and she screamed as the smell of seared flesh reached my nostrils. Shadows swirled around the door slowly beginning to take shape as her screams filled the space around us.

"Did you really think you could win?" The creature cackled. "I own them. They sold their very souls for their petty desires. Humans are so weak, so predictable. Dangle something new and shiny in front of them and they'll rip out their own hearts without hesitation." She gave a hollow laugh, "Oh was that too cruel of a reference?"

Tears filled my eyes as I looked down at Gabriel's unmoving form. Another scream pulled my gaze back to Olivia. Her entire arm was blackened now as the door opened more. My feet moved of their own accord. I placed my hand on her cheek as she sobbed, "I'm sorry. I...I didn't know." Her speech was labored as the darkness ate at her.

Shadows nipped at me as my magic began to rise. "Let go, Olivia. Find peace," I whispered to her and pressed my fingertips to her forehead. She gasped once, her eyes glazing over then fell to the ground, freed from her pain at last.

The creature clapped its hands, "Such empathy, child. It doesn't matter though, you can't shut the gate from this side. I still won."

For a fleeting moment, my mind thought of my children. Losing a parent was never easy, but they had their fathers. Gathering all of my strength, I blew out a breath and gripped the interior handle of the door. "Not today. You don't get to win today," I told the creature and watched the look of surprise turn to rage as I stepped through the gate and pulled it closed, sealing myself in the land of shadows. My head pressed against the door as I sobbed, terrified to turn around and see what awaited me.

"Dammit, Chaton, didn't I tell you not to sacrifice yourself for us?"

Author's Notes:  Thoughts?