Faith.

Chapter 22

"No." Is the only thing I can think as the hair on the nape of my neck rises on end. Air around me frenzied by electrical cracks a storm cloud brewing right above my head crackling with white thunder and lightning. Hot white energy runs from the top of my head to my feet spreading out into the ground cracking it revealing pure white tiles.

"No!" I scream as the beautiful forest façade around me cracks revealing the white room we had been trapped in earlier. I take long steady strides forwards electricity still at my side.

"It isn't real!" My long black hair falls in my face shielding my devious smile. I had broken through Atlas' little mirage.

I tower over the perplexed black eyed boy wrapping my slender hand around his throat. He struggles against my grip clawing at my hands his image stirring between him and the people that I love. My mother, Skye, Mike, Luna, Tyler. The people I had just met. It felt like I had known them forever. I have to do this. For them. His mind tricks couldn't get to me any more.

Atlas catches a bone in my arm pulling it out of its place causing me to let him go. I quickly shift it back into its place in one swift movement I flip my body through the resistant air roundhouse kicking him in the side sending him smashing into the perfectly white wall. A long crack formed where he had hit the wall and Atlas was momentarily subdued. I wasn't going to stop there. With the palm of my hand I smashed his head back against the wall his childish screams filling the room. With every single touch his body twitching with the electricity standing by my side. It felt like I would never stop. The rage in my body fuelling every kick and pull of his hair. His yells for help only egging me on to do more and more. To get revenge for what he had made us all feel and do. I had rendered him unconscious a long time ago but it wasn't enough.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around my body taking my breath away as the electricity surrounding me took advantage. His arms seized up around me not budging an inch.

A few deep breaths later a voice spoke in my ear. "Rose, Rose stop it! We need to go, now!"

I whirled around to face the familiar brilliant blue eyes.

"M-mike!" I gently placed my hand on his cheek scared he would just disappear again. "You came back to me." I smiled weekly my vision clouded immediately as tears fell hard and fast.

"Of coarse." He whispered the words in my ear.

A loud crack disturbed the long needed silence transforming into a slow clap.

"What a beautiful reunion. I see you've made an absolute, pardon my language, balls of my son Atlas." A deep dominating voice spoke in an exotic accent. My eyes met with the gaze of hooded red eyes topped with bushy grey eyebrows. The old man was of average height his body covered in a long cloak . His silver hair pulled back into a sleek pony tail. "I believe the time for games is over now. Welcome back Luna, and welcome home Rose." He gestured to us in one long movement of his palm.

For a single second my eyes meet with Lunas exchanging a glance of confusion.

"Let me make this clear to you. You are mine and only mine. You belong to me!" A voice speaks in my head as the man keeps disturbingly long eye contact with me slyly lowering his eyelids. Lunas eyes widen, she must be hearing the same thing. I can't be going crazy.

"I frankly don't care who or what you are. I've had a long day and I AM going home and i'm taking my friends with me." I sternly spoke straightening my back angling my chin upwards staring down at the old man. I have had enough of this. I firmly wrap my fingers around Mikes arm and pull him along with a sigh of relief seeing Luna and Skyler following close by.

"Is that any way to speak to your loving father?" The elderly man raises his bushy eyebrows a smile on his face.

My steps falter as I come to a complete stop, my breath caught in my throat. 

"It's oh so lovely to reunite with my daughters." He continued. 

Daughters... Mikes grip on my arm tightened. The word echoes in my mind. His words seemed to weigh us all down having a hold over us his red yet icy eyes resting on each one of us for a single moment. Once again I saw the woman we had seen at the cages. Her ruby lips parted in a wide smile. She was staring at Mike her eyes not budging an inch. Her blonde hair pulled in a tight bun her eyes the same shade of blue as Mikes. The more I looked the more similar they looked. 

"Ruby." Mike spoke his voice low and steady nodding his head once. 

"Mikey." She smiled even wider her brilliant white teeth shining. Her white suite clung tightly to her body. 

" The death of your mother Rose was truly tragic." The old vampire shook his head. "Yet she refused to be turned even if that would have saved her. I did love her sweet Rosey." He shook his head gently. "But alas by the turn of faith we have been reunited." He then turned his gaze to Luna my shoulders relaxing. "And you. I did expect more from you. But at least our family is whole again." He gently clasped his hands. "Now, Ruby dear, lets celebrate the return of my daughters." 

" No way in hell you old bag of bones!" Luna spat. 

The old man merely shook his head. "I am the creator and I can destroy my creations as I please so I'd watch my tongue if I were you little girl." His words weighed down on all of us like a ton of bricks. 

"I don't think you heard her." I spoke. "No way in hell!" I hissed. 

He looked at me almost as if he was bored. "So be it." He waved his hand before turning around. Run along and play then. Enjoy it whilst it lasts. " With that he simply walked out the door Ruby following closely by. 

All of us exchanged confused looks.  "Is, is he serious?" Skyler spoke. 

My eyes welled up with tears as the pressure of The Creators, mine and Lunas fathers oppressing energy left the room with him.  I quietly let the tears fall as I reached out for the two girls tightening my hand around Mikes back pulling all of them into a hug. 

"We're safe, we survived." I cried. I felt the rest of them burst into tears along with me. We were safe, for now.

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We all watched the flames burn as we torched Tylers remains in the middle of the desert. It was the only proper send off that we could think of. We couldn't just leave him there. I turned away from the fire and began to walk back to the car, the others already waiting for me. We drove for hours on the rode that seemed like it was never going to end. None of us dared to speak a single word. We were all tired and we just wanted to get away as far as possible. So we just drove.