Saving Us *Mate Astray*

Chapter 40

Elektra's POV

"I will go!"

The words were out of my mouth before I could think them through but I did not regret them. Finding Victoria has been an obsession and now I have the chance to actually see it through; I would not let this opportunity go.

Simon's grin was unmeasurable and rather smug. I'm sure the witch had no doubt I would agree to her plan considering my best friend's body was at stake.

"You will do no such thing, Elektra, I forbid it!" Sarah's voice broke the sudden silence in the room, outraged and shocked, a reaction that seemed to delight Victoria. "She is not to be trusted, she will kill you."

Sarah's eyes were fixed on me with so much anger and betrayal that I was forced to look away. Her anger has never been directed at me in such a primal way, her rage fully erasing any other emotion that she might have had for me and that frightened me. For the first time since I started this search I realised that being destined to one another would not be enough if I continued to be so selfish... for the first time, I truly wondered if I had just obliterated our bond.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... you really need to keep you anger in check. You cannot forbid your mate from seeing me as that would be taking away her free will."

I refused to look at our mate but I felt the immense energy she was releasing and could only imagine that there was very little of Sarah left in her eyes, instead being entirely replaced by a creature of the night.

"Isn't it ironic that a murderer is the one teaching you about morality? Honestly, how the mighty have fallen."

I don't think Sarah cared anymore that the body in front of her was that of her childhood friend, so blinded was she with her disgust and hatred for the witch that currently occupied it. The air had shifted and was no longer overpowered by the witch's scent of decay but now shared the space with a blinding aura that seemed to clash with Victoria's power.

Our mate is magnificent

Atesh was proud of our mate and awed by the sheer power she was exerting without any apparent effort.

She is stronger than we first believed

Still not powerful enough to defeat Victoria

Perhaps not, but certainly enough to rival her authority

Small bursts of energy began to appear in the air, miniature versions of fireworks in a deep green colour that appeared to come from nowhere and everywhere. Simon now had a distinct expression of shock on his face that made me wonder if we were really the only ones to have underestimated Sarah.

Somehow I was witnessing a battle, one that made your heart beat faster due to the adrenaline running through one's body yet no one had moved. There were no physical blows nor any apparent wounds yet there was no doubt in my head that both Sarah and Victoria were using their energy as a weapon to defeat the other.

No longer being able to look away, my eyes searched my mate, only to witness a side of Sarah that until now, was completely unknown to me.

Just as it had the first time I saw her, the only word that rang in my mind upon seeing Sarah was "Goddess". Her eyes were a bright violet colour with golden flecks, her hair the same deep red that it had always been but now it seemed to flutter lightly against her face as if there was a soft breeze in the room that only Sarah could feel. From head to toe she was radiating a bright white light that appeared to protect her against the dark, decaying power of the witch. So bright was her aura that no corner of the room was left in darkness, light bringing the room to life as if the sun was at its highest and the curtains were open.