The Darkest Cure ((#Wattys2015))

Chapter One

Lakena fingered the Rosario around her neck. The cemetery was dark and eerie. She looked at Cameo, who stood next to her.

They were here for Hunters. Anya, Goddess of Anarchy, had warned them of their enemy's whereabouts. She lived with the Lords of the Underworld, being thought of as angels and demons. The few who had deemed them demonic were unknowingly right.

Lucien, Keeper of Death, was her twin brother. Maddox, Keeper of Violence; Reyes, Keeper of Pain; Paris, Keeper of Promiscuity; Torin, Keeper of Disease, and Aeron, Keeper of Wrath. Theses men were her warriors--her brothers. They were immortal warriors, doomed to house demons even Hell would not keep.

However, Lakena was a different story. She was immortal as well, but why she was doomed to stay with them, no one knew. She should have died thousands of years ago, during the Grecian Wars, but she did not. Like Cameo, she was a warrior, and she felt as cursed as the Mistress Misery. Lakena's demon was unknown; close to Death, but also close to Pain. Her Wrath was not taken lightly, and she fought like Violence to control it. She felt as though she had a bit of every demon in Budapest, save Disease and most of Promiscuity.

She held powers like Lucien, but they were not like Death's. She could control lightning and electricity, even fire. In the beginning, like most of the Lords, she was not capable of having a tight reign over her abilities. Those were the dark days; destruction and pain were constant in their lives--thousands suffered over as many years.

Her power for lightning extended to electricity. She was even able to generate her own electric current, and use it has a protective barrier on her skin, but she did not do it often. Only when she fought Hunters and sparred with the others. Only when she was provoked, her anger over-powering her, did she lose control. Electric currents, lightning, and fire were her last resorts in a fight.

Lakena looked around again, and tugged on the Rosario she wore. The Rosario sealed her greatest power: her vampirism. Somehow while being inhabited by partials of multiple demons; she was cursed with the poison of a vampire's blood and spirit. The spirit died away, but her body used the blood to maintain life. This was why she depended on blood more than the others did. In this state, her powers become enhanced and her chances for death were nil.

She was an immortal being, more so than the others, being an actual child of Zeus. Lakena ate human food most of the time, but every now and then, she bit someone. Of course, whether Aeron was around or not, Paris always offered himself up as a "sacrifice for others' well-immortal-being." She shook her head, realizing she had stood in the same spot for a while now.

"Lakena?" Cameo called. Misery seeped through her sad voice, making her heart clench.

The others were ahead of her, a couple of feet away. Sabin, Keeper of Doubt, scanned the area, and then turned his gaze on her. Gideon, Keeper of Lies, stood next to him with Lucien and Amun. Aeron stepped forward.

"What's wrong, Lakena?" he asked her.

"Nothing." her voice seemed a bit distant. Reyes and Paris stood behind Lucien, daggers and swords gripped in their hands. Lucien held a 9 millimeter.

"What's she doing?" Sabin said. He had never seen the Rosario before.

"Nothing." she repeated, closing the distance between her and Aeron, but she sidestepped him. She trudged over the grass, and stepped over tombstones. Aeron followed her until she came to stand beside Cameo. He came up behind her but passed her, and their fingers interlocked for two seconds, max. Lakena let him go stand between Sabin and Lucien.

The graveyard was quiet, but the night was clear of sound. Lucien had told them where their traps were, using a map. They avoided each one.

"Kane. Torin. Come in, over." Sabin said into the walkie-talkie he held in his hand.

Static. Lucien sighed.

"Where are they?" Lakena asked. Paris shook his blonde head.

"I don't like this, Luci."

"Neither do I." Reyes put in.

"Love it." They ignored Gideon.

One second, the world was silent.

"Lucien, someth-" The next, Lakena was cut off by a large boom! A grenade had blown up behind Lakena and Cameo. There seemed to be a duel to see whose scream was more bloodcurdling.