Sacrifice in Blood

Chapter 63: All Hell Breaks Loose

I was dead. This much I knew.

But I felt no pain and no sadness. I was filled with a sense of calm, lightness and peace.

I was lying in a field, the grass blowing in the wind, the sun shining down on me.

I sat up and rested my arms on my knees. There was a beautiful forest surrounding me, I could feel the magic dancing in the air. I breathed it in.

"Leina." An ethereal voice said, walking up beside me. I wasn't shocked to see the Goddess and the God standing there.

The Goddess was dressed all in white, a beautiful gown with flowers seemingly sewn into the fabric, her long brown hair blowing in the breeze. The God wore only pants, his muscular chest exposed and the horns on his head shone in the sunlight.

I smiled as I stood up. I expected them to formally welcome me but her words stopped me in my tracks.

"It is time." The Goddess said, her eyes somber but kind.

"I don't want to go to the underworld." I said, fear suddenly filling me. Surely I hadn't done anything so bad as to warrant a ticket downstairs.

The Goddess and God shook their heads and smiled then, calming my sudden nerves, reassuring me they didn't mean they were sending me to the underworld.

"You can choose to stay here with your friends-." The God spoke, his voice strong and musical as he gestured over my shoulder. I followed his gaze and my heart leapt.

Lucy, Zach and Miriam were sitting amongst the grass, having a picnic. Lucy was in her usual black attire, a beautiful black lace dress and her purple hair was out, blowing in the wind.

Zach and Miriam looked carefree and healthy, unbridled by fear; their skin was flawless, no scars anymore from what they endured at Severus' camp. Their laughter floated on the air to me and I smiled broadly. It was so lovely to see them- they were ok; they were happy. They were here in the Summerland with the Goddess and God.

"But there are others that will miss you." The Goddess continued, her face gentle, eyes twinkling. For a moment I was confused. Who would miss me? I was so happy here.

The Goddess took my hand in hers and I gasped as memories and people flashed before my eyes. Talon, Ava, Al, my parents, Bridget, my coven, Luke, Lavinia, Zara, even Elias.

"Or you can go back." The Goddess said, her voice gentle.

I felt my head spin slightly as I remembered my death. I had bled out, sacrificed to an ancient vampiric god that vowed to bring chaos upon the world.

"It is your choice." The God nudged, his kind smile supportive. "You have been through more than most." He said, his eyes earnest.

But we hadn't stopped Morgana. How could I leave everyone to fight the pandemonium that was sure to follow?

"I want to go back." I said immediately, my heart in my throat. What had happened to Talon? Was he ok?

The Goddess nodded, smiling and squeezed my hand gently. The light became blinding and I squinted my eyes, feeling like the ground had been pulled out from under my feet.

The blinding light dissolved into darkness and moonlight and fire danced across my vision. I was back in the forest, where Morgana had sacrificed Talon and I. I was standing back, looking at the scene before me.

It was a blur of chaos. All hell had broken loose.

With Severus dead, his followers were fighting the Ravenswood's vampires and witches, desperate and leaderless. Al had a camp vamp locked in a headlock. Ava was shielding Tyler as he summoned roots from the ground to hold a vampire down. The enchanted fire was still burning protectively around the altar.