Diabolus: The Lost Phoenix

Chapter Thirty Five

KAI WOODS

I'm always sure when I fight. I'm always sure that I will give all my strength, all my power to it, to achieve our freedom and any aim that we have. I refuse to have any feelings at the time when I get my knife out; as if once the sharp blade starts to shine in front of me, I lose all of my humanity. No matter how strong my opponents are, and if there's any hope for me to survive.

But not this time.

From everything that I saw, how many men there are outside, I have only one thing to do. Protect others. Protect Beverly. This time, I won't be respectful. I won't be supportive. I won't be a partner. I could live with her, hating me for the rest of her life; but I can't live knowing that she's dead.

"Avery."

When others take all of their weapons to fight, prepare for the cops to get into the room, I grab Avery's hand, whispering her name. I notice that her body is shaking, as she's standing further away from all of us, getting supportive looks from Maileen.

"Kai?"

"I need to ask you for a favour. Just this one time."

"What? What do you want me to do?"

I take a look back to see if someone is watching us; but they seem to be too busy while preparing for the fight. Avery's eyes are all glimmering with confusion, a crystal clear layer of fear. She's not a fighter, but she doesn't have to be. It doesn't make her worse than we are.

"It's a very low chance for us to win this fight, and this time, I mean it. I need you to convince Beverly to hide with you. Beverly, and Brooklyn."

"What? You know she won't-"

"I know you will figure something out. Please, Avery. I need to know at at least you will be alive after this fight."

Her eyes widen at me, but suddenly, she takes my hand in hers. The way she looks at me, seems to be like she was trying to see a vision through our touch. I take a glance at Maileen; God, that girl could see if I will die tonight. For a moment, I wonder if I should ask her to tell me if I will die.

But knowing your destiny is way more dangerous than fate itself. I don't want to know that. If I'm dying tonight, it means it has to be like that.

"I will do it. I know what I need to do."

"Thank you, Avery."

In an instant, I pull her into a tight hug. For a moment, every muscle in her body gets tense from my unexpected movements; but still, she wraps her arms around my body and drowns in my embrace. Never before I thought that Beverly needs her that much, but now I do. My flair keeps telling me that this will get worse than I thought; and all I need to do is to protect them. All of them.

"I don't know how how this day will end. But I trust you. I know you will do anything to save her. Them."

"I will, Kai. Just... try not to die."

I pull away from Avery and, trying to comfort her, give her a teasing wink and a hellish smile that I usually make before the fight. It doesn't matter what I feel inside now. That for the first time, I'm not sure if we will make it. I'm not sure what will happen to us. Fear starts to gnaw my insides, but I know I can't show it to the world.

I'm the leader. I have to show that there's nothing to be afraid of, even if I feel differently.

"It's not that easy to kill me."

"Kai? What are you guys doing? We need to get ready for the fight."

A soft, quiet voice behind me seems to deliver such pain into my heart that it feels like it's shrinking itself. I turn around, to face those big, beautiful blue eyes. Concern in them, the one that makes my breathing shallow. All I know is that these next few hours will either pass as a blip in the course of our life, or they will be the final trauma that will break her. Us.