Luna (Lycan Series: #2)

Kathleen

© 2016 SilverStream22. All Rights Reserved.

This was a difficult scene to write. Usually I'd go into extreme detail, but my heartstrings couldn't stomach that. I tried my best to convey the horrors that Orion committed to Kathleen. Please be gentle with your criticism, if any, on how the scene was written. 

"Kathleen? You want to bring back Stark's ex-wife? And you want me to do that? Seriously?"

I swallowed past the thick lump in my throat. "Yes, Alric. I want- I need you to do this. There's...bonds between the vessel and the entity possessing it. The stronger the bond, the more synchronized we can be. It's the only way to defeat them. Please, you have to."

Alric pinched the bridge of his nose. "First I summon my sister and now I have to bring back the dead. Great. Just great."

I furrowed my brow. "I didn't even ask you to bring your sister that time. This is the only thing I'm requesting from you. Please Alric, you must do this."

Draver stroked his jaw, speaking to Jazz even though he was looking at me. "Notice how she said 'must' instead of 'have to'. Their mating bond is getting stronger. Must be the life-and-death scenario."

The mention of my mate begged me to ask the following question: "Where is Stark?"

"I'm here," he popped out from beside me, Kendra following him closely as he addressed Kyo's bleeding arm...or lack thereof. "And there is no way that you are summoning my ex-wife to possess you. Are you asking for trouble?"

I clenched my fist. "I don't have time for this. It's not as if we're going to play the 'ex meets new girlfriend' game, we both share a common pain, a common motive. We need that to beat them."

"Don't do it, Alric." Stark warned.

"Xerxes," Jazz began, "Perhaps it is a good idea to step down and let Katya have her reign. Know that you are not only dealing with your mate, but the Moon Goddess as well."

That seemed to shut him up effectively.

Alric walked over to the coffee table and cleared it of the broken accent pieces. He re-enacted the same thing he did when summoning Winry, except this wind was more powerful, sweeping up everything in a flurry of strong gusts. I had to hold on to Stark in order not to be swept away.

Alric's black hair turned white as he pressed his palm down on the old wood and lifted up. The spirit of Kathleen appeared between his hand, bright with an iridescent glow. Her hair was golden, weaved in a braid over her shoulder, skin fair and unblemished. Her clothes were green and burgundy, a beautiful combination against her skin. The only horror to her beauty was the gaping hole in her swollen stomach, where her baby was torn out by Orion. Flashes of Marie, Ryland and Ryker's heads flickered in my head and I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from throwing up.

I expected her soft hazel eyes to land on Stark, but instead she looked at me, her eyes filled with pain and sorrow.

She rushed off the table and throwed herself into me without a word to anyone. I couldn't hug her back because it's just her spirit, but I felt her presence around me. Past the stench of dried blood, I got the warm scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. 

"I'm so sorry." she cried, burying her face in my neck. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't pass you to him as he was when I met him. I'm so sorry I left you a shell of a man."

Everyone's eyes was looking at us in shock, their eyes wide at Kathleen's words.

How could I expect to have any anger at this woman? Who apologized for Stark in an instant instead of becoming a jealous woman at the thought of her husband moving on from her. She was a selfless woman, and for that I scolded myself of any bad thoughts I ever had of Kathleen Beauregard.

She didn't engage with anyone else, simply melting into my body until her spirit merged with mine, just like how the Moon Goddess entered me.

I had a splitting headache over the next few minutes, my body adjusting to the crowd in my head. I grabbed onto Stark's shoulder for balance once more and almost instantaneously, I was hit by Kathleen's memories.

"Don't touch her," Stark growled, batting away a strawberry blond-haired man's hand.

"He's my brother, I think he's allowed to feel his niece or nephew." Kathleen chuckled.

She was wearing the same thing as she died in, the green and burgundy dress. I felt my stomach churn when I realized that this was the memory of her dying- of her baby being murdered.

The door swung open and there stood Orion. He looked younger, his features softer. But the moment he laid eyes on Kathleen, his face contorted with anger.

"You lying wench, I knew you were sleeping with that mutt!"

Stark immediately stepped in front of Kathleen. "Do not come any closer to my wife."

"WIFE?!" he roared. "SHE IS MINE. YOU STOLE HER FROM ME."

"She was never yours to begin with," Stark snarled back violently, taking a step forward. His eyes were a glinting silver, a warning.

Kathleen's brother placed himself between them, settling his palms on both of their chests. "Settle down now, there's no need for any hostility."

I wanted to scream for him to run away, but there was no point- this was the past, what was set in stone. I couldn't do anything about it.

So I watched Orion tear Kathleen's brother's arm straight out of the socket. Kathleen's piercing screams filled the room, until my ears felt like they were bleeding.

Stark was next, and I couldn't bear to watch what happened. But something about the scene enthralled me to the point where I couldn't look away.

Orion shoved his hand into Stark's shoulder, the crunch of multiple bones sent shivers down my spine. Stark's back was next, the broken vertebrae twisted my heart to see him writhe in pain. But the most terrifying scene to watch was Orion advancing to Kathleen, who had a knife held to her own throat.

She would rather kill herself and the baby than to let Orion have his way with her.

Unfortunately she couldn't glide the blade across her neck fast enough, Orion snatched up the knife and delivered a blow to her stomach. Her guttural scream, had me on the verge of tears. I looked down at my stomach to see the knife lodged into my swollen torso. 

I WAS INSIDE KATHLEEN

Orion removed the knife, shoving his thumb into the wound, causing Kathleen and I to shriek in pain as blood spurted forth like a bubbling geyser. Blood and bile rose in my throat and escaped my lips, dripping on the floor. 

"Agree to get rid of the baby and become mine, and I'll heal you." he demanded, admiring the knife.

Kathleen clutched her stomach, doing her best to cover the vast surface with her hands. "Never."

He grew angry again and returned to his torture of her, slicing inches into her stomach. When I looked down, I saw that he wrote his own name on her stomach. Then, he began carving out his name like she was some pumpkin. The torn and mangled flesh made my vision turn red. Kathleen was dead now, her heartbeat flat lined. I was thankful for that because I was sure that she would die instantaneously if she felt the pain from Orion shoving his hand in her womb and pulling out the baby, ripping the umbilical cord violent. He rolled the baby to Stark before walking out, ignoring Stark's tortured cries.

~

I was ripped out of Kathleen's head and returned into my own mind and body. The splitting headache was replaced with a tranquil and deadly silence.

I mourn for the losses of the both of you. The Moon Goddess' soft words filled my head.

I'm truly sorry about your kin, though not of blood they were no doubt a part of you. Kathleen's voice echoed.

And I'm sorry about your suffering and your baby. You didn't deserve that kind of death. We'll make Orion pay, I swear to you that much.