Guiding Light (GxGxG)

7. I'm sorry, Rhea

I sat up straight, my nerves suddenly on high alert. Amy was still at my side, but there was no sign of Rhea. She would usually be on our asses already. Why wasn't she? Where was she? I looked around the club without a single glimpse of her, and my mind began to race. My wanting to stop at every party to indulge Amy wasn't something she was happy with, but I didn't see why it was a problem for me to give my human something she wanted since Rhea was getting something she wanted too. I was going, albeit slowly, but I was. We were going to California or wherever she said the portal to the underworld was.

I didn't think she left us; I just felt... off. I felt irrationally uneasy.

I stood up, leaving Amy on the red leather couch half asleep, and made my way through the crowd. Something wasn't right, and a distant cry of my name solidified my fear. My heart was suddenly pounding way too fast as I threw people out of the way. The cool evening air hit my face as I burst through the exit, and it became so much easier to breathe. But just then, the sight before me stole my breath, and I halted at the sight of a huge muscle head holding Rhea by the throat. Her whip was on the ground, broken in half and resembling a dirty old broken rope. Not at all the pristine white, icy whip I had seen her used to freeze my entire flower shop.

I drew my blades, flaming up as I edged closer to them. The closer I got, the more I could feel Rhea's fear, and I hated that. Hated that this man made her look so weak. She wasn't, and she never showed fear. Without sparing another second, I dashed towards them, slicing off his hand. Rhea fell to the ground, caught in a coughing fit. I ignored the urge to run to her side and scooped her into my arms. She seemed mostly fine, and this guy was relentless. I attacked again and was met with his fist in the centre of my torso. All the air was knocked out of my lungs, and the focus in my vision, gone. I collided with the side of the building, making a large hole before I fell into the broken bricks and rubble.

Anger flailed inside me as I watched a smirk grow on his face. He tore his eyes away from me and turned to Rhea again, ready to have her in another throat hold, or perhaps, something equally threatening, but I refused to let that happen. With all the strength I could muster, I stumbled to my feet and glared at Mr Big Bad and Scary with blood in my eyes.

Before I knew it, I was shooting beams of lasers at him. As he dodged the destructive beams coming from my eyes, I snuck closer, hoping to find an angle where I could finish him off. His big neck was out and exposed, a lot of room to slide my blade. I would be thrilled to have his head on a trophy shelf or something. Before my thoughts could materialise beyond that, though, he fell limply to the ground.

Rhea stood behind him, her arm still outstretched with her fingers fastened in a death grip around Biggy's human heart. Her eyes were a milky white, and her face held hatred and pain. I could feel it all. It wasn't just pain, either. There was still fear. A fear that was akin to the lingering terror of a nightmare you've woken up from. Together, it was overwhelming to the point I feared I would collapse to the ground. But I fought the urge. Rhea was a priority. I could wait.

"Rhea?" With slow and careful steps, I closed the space between us. Her eyes returned to normal as they found me, and my heart broke at the sight. There were streaks of tears on her face, and I noticed that she was sobbing uncontrollably. I sprinted up to her just in time to catch her collapsing frame. She lay feebly in my arms, shivering like a leaf on a windy day. It was a sight my eyes were trying to convince my brain was real. Still, my brain was having trouble trying to fathom the image. Rhea has never left herself so vulnerable, and I hated that tonight changed that. More than everything, I hated that it was my fault. If I hadn't bitched about us coming here, none of this would've happened.

I cradled my demon with a gentleness that only she and Amy could bring out of me. Even with that tenderness, she winced at the contact of our bodies. I combed my fingers through her hair in a slow, soothing motion, attempting to calm her pain. Wanting to make it better in any way I could. Tears were still slipping from her closed eyes, but that was the least of my problems. I just needed to know if she was okay. Why was she in so much pain? "Rhea?"