Our Demons {Kai Parker Book 1}

twenty-eight: In Which There's An Addonexus

Mark Twain once said that death was sweet, death was gentle, death was kind. 

However, as Ria was dragged down she only tasted bitterness in her mouth. Her heart felt constrained and notified every organ in her body of the pain, and as her body neared the surface of the river she sobbed.

Death was not welcoming her with open arms; for it was a rumour to young people. Death instead was waiting to capture her in a cage where she would be forever tormented by the memories and pains of her life. 

The angel would have none of this. 

Just as the mist blurred her vision a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her and she was pulled into his chest. He flew up, back to safety. 

Ria had fainted for all of three seconds but gained consciousness as her feet touched the ground. 

"What were you thinking?" The voice was deep and angry. Ria was too scared to turn around and face the man, her legs wobbled as her hands covered her mouth. "Face me Ria Emmers. I am no stranger."

On command, she turned her body and gasped at the angel before her. 

He was stunning, to say the least. His eyes were an ocean blue, glinting in the sunlight and staring with such precision that she felt naked in front of him. His skin was a deep chocolate, flawless, his body perfectly built and tall. 

"Do you know me?"

Her lips parted and she answered, "Afriel." She had never seen or spoken to this man, but something in her mind notified her of his familiarity. 

The angel's wings lowered and tucked in behind him. She watched mystified and curious. 

"I know why you jumped."

She hugged herself feeling ashamed, "Then you know why I couldn't stop myself."

The angel stepped forward and held her hands. She was surprised at his warm and comforting touch. 

"I know all of that because I know you."

She believed him when he said this. There wasn't a doubt, this had to be her guardian angel. 

"That isn't important right now. There is a more pressing and substantial issue at hand right now. I hate to do this to you, Ria, but there is much more danger on your path because of Benedict Cage- the vampire."

"But, he's d-dead." 

"He may be, but his Guild is not."

"What do you mean his Guild?"

"Prior to meeting you, Benedict travelled with a group of supernatural creatures. They were his family. Upon hearing of his murder by an Original vampire, and that too a murder for you, they have been attempting to find and kill you."

Her mouth ran dry and she shivered in fear. "But that was, that was years ago. I've been gone for"

Afriel stepped forward and towered over her. He held her gaze and explained, "They know. The Guild doesn't just consist of vampires, Ria. There are four. A witch, a werewolf, a demon, and spirit. They've been tracking you down ever since you returned from the Prison World. They're coming after you, and not just to kill you."

"What do they want from me?"

"You aren't just a human," Afriel smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face and behind her ear. "There is so much more to you. There's a reason why the Trinity could not overpower you, there's a reason why you were able to overcome their spell, there's a reason why you're good."

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She stared at him in fear and hopelessness and asked, "Afriel, what am I?"

"An Addonexus."

She repeated the name, feeling goosebumps on her skin. He held her gaze and explained; 

"You were born on the day of the solar eclipse just as Halley's comet sprung over the earth. But the abilities you should possess as an Addonexus do not show themselves until later on in your life. I've heard of Addonexuses that can control fire, water, and air, most are able to use lights and shadows as weapons. The most powerful ones who train for years can use their bones as weapons, penetrating from their skins. Others can understand emotions and very few can, as you do, fix physical wounds."

"But then why did I lose my humanity when I tried to heal someone?"

"Your case is very interesting, even I have never heard of anything like it. I believe the spell of the Trinity must be the reason why. Ria, you are mentally hurt right now. I believe you know this illness as depression. I can help, I can fix you."

Her heart beat hard against her chest and the tips of her fings tingled with an electrical current. She stared into Afriel's electric blue eyes, noticing the ember and gold flecks. 

At that moment, she had completely forgotten about Kai Parker. 

She forgot that his smile always held a hint of a smirk because he was scared of being happy in a vulnerable way that would only hurt him. In a way that did hurt him. 

She forgot that his dark eyes held a thousand secrets and hopes and that she had once hoped to uncover each and every one. That his eyes would burn with desire and anger, but every time she stared at them she would see tones of fear. 

She forgot that every time she stared at him her pupils would dilate because, in all the years that she craved acceptance and affection, he was the one that accepted her despite her flaws. The one who came back after years of being free, because he needed her. 

"I can make you strong," Afriel promised. "You can become the strong and powerful creature you were meant to be, you can defeat all your enemies, just say the word."

Ria agreed at the promise of becoming strong, for every misfortune in her life she blamed to her being a weak and pathetic human. 

However, as she would come to realize too late, magic and miracles do not make people strong. Rather, who they are in their hearts and the people that are with them. 

And the ones they leave behind.