Alpha Ch. 12

"I," she started to speak but he roared in fury cutting her off.

"Why would you ask him to do this? Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?"

"I didn't ask him to do anything! I didn't even know he could do it. He asked if bringing Jaylon back would make things better for Elena and our family. He sent me away before I could do anything. I would never ask him to put himself in danger, you think I want to lose him too? I couldn't stand to lose him, not after everything." Ealasaid realised she was panting, trying to catch her breath.

Anton stared at her intensely then, with a snarl, he pushed himself away. Turning he kicked the closest chair and it flew across the room and shattered against the wall.

"Alpha?" A timid voice came from the door.

Ealasaid couldn't see who had spoken but heard a cry of terror when Anton bellowed.

"GET OUT!"

She could hear hurried footsteps retreating and slowly, she sat to watch Anton pace the floor.

"I promise; I didn't ask him to do this. He wouldn't even let me talk to him about it, he just sent me back here. I didn't know what to do." Ealasaid pulled her knees to her chest and held herself tightly.

Anton paused and stood trembling in the middle of the room. With another terrifying roar he grabbed another chair and sent it crashing against the same wall.

"Fuck!" He was breathing heavily. Forcing himself to calm down he turned to look back at her. Coming back to stand in front of her he took hold of her wrists again, gently this time, and looked and the red marks left behind by his fingers. "I'm sorry." He stroked his thumbs over the marks feeling the heat of them.

"It's OK." She said quickly.

"No it's not. I shouldn't have done that. I know you wouldn't ask Baal to do anything that might put him in danger."

"He's your brother. I don't blame you for being worried."

"So what did he say we should do?" Anton asked, stepping away from her and dropping her wrists.

"Said we should find somewhere safe for Jaylon to recover and we shouldn't bring him back here."

"Alright. So where do we take him?"

Ealasaid thought for a moment. "We could take him to the old apartment. I don't think anyone has been there since everything with Elyas. It would be quiet, safe, he could get his strength back there."

"OK." Anton said and beckoning his hand he conjured a door. "Let's go." He waved him arm for her to go through and followed her.

They stepped through the door and into the penthouse apartment Ealasaid had once shared with Drago. The air was still and musty, dust covered the surfaces and in front of the double front doors was a stack of glossy magazines.

Ealasaid picked up the top one with a morbid curiosity and read the headline.

'Where is LaBelle?'

Feeling as though she had been punched in the gut, Ealasaid picked up the next one.

'LaBelle Properties Left Abandoned as Billionaire Disappears.'

She sighed and gathered the rest of the magazines into her arms. Striding through to the kitchen, she dumped them into the bin without a word. Dusting her hands, she spun around and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well this is no place for anyone. We should tidy it up a bit."

"Little One," Anton started but she spoke over him.

"We should open the windows, get some air in here. I'll go and change the sheets, you get the windows."

She disappeared before he could say anything else. Peering into the bin he saw pictures of Drago and Ealasaid plastered over the front of every magazine. With a snap of his fingers he watched in satisfaction as flames burst to life in the metal container and left the magazines to burn along with every trace of Drago's face.

He began to open the windows and waved his hands to get rid of the dust on the surfaces. When he returned to the kitchen the magazines had reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash which he dumped into the sink and turned on the water to wash it down the drain.

He could hear Ealasaid moving around above him and she hummed a soft, lilting lullaby as she worked. She changed the sheets, opened the windows and made sure that there were clothes that would fit both Jaylon and Elena in the chest of drawers.

She couldn't help the twinge of sadness in her gut as she looked at the room she had shared with Drago. She had seen their future here. She had seen them building a future, raising children and living out their lives together in this very room. Now, all she could see were cold walls and broken promises.

Pushing Drago from her mind she closed the door and locked it, keeping her memories sealed from the world. She moved through to another bedroom and continued to clean. After half an hour the room was once again warm and filled with orange light from the setting sun outside. Ealasaid had transformed the space into a welcoming haven and downstairs Anton had wiped all traces of Drago from the apartment.

They met at the foot of the stairs and looked around proudly.

"They'll be safe here. I'll have people guarding them, I'm going to make sure that no one hurts either of them again."

"You did good kid. This is just what they'll need." Anton wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Before she could answer a chill swept through the apartment. A door materialised in front of them and they knew the time had come. It swung open and Ealasaid went to it. She looked over her shoulder at Anton who hadn't moved.

"You're not coming?" She asked.

He shook his head. "This isn't my fight. Baal will make sure you come back safe. He'd die before he let anything happen to you."

Ealasaid didn't know what to say. Instead, she nodded and entered the door. As she passed through it she was greeted by the grey, rolling hills of Purgatory. A tightness descended on her chest as she saw Baal waiting for her.

He had changed his torn shirt for a clean white one and stood still as she came towards him. He was taller, her head barely reached to his bicep and she shivered at the hard look on his face.

He didn't say anything and she shifted on the spot under his harsh gaze. His eyes held none of the usual warmth they had when he looked at her and his jaw was clenched so tightly that she could see a nerve ticking in his cheek.

Before she could say anything a movement from behind him caught her eye. A figure, hunched and animal like, crawled towards them, it's movements lurching and sporadic.

Ealasaid gasped, her hand moving to her mouth. A low, gurgling moan was coming from the creature as it came towards them and Ealasaid moved in front of Baal to get out of its line of sight. Baal was staring at a point over her shoulder refusing to meet her eyes.

"What is that?" She asked shakily.

Baal didn't answer. She peered around his broad chest and watched the creature as it approached them.

"Is that Jaylon?" She asked looking back up at him but he still wouldn't look at her.

Ealasaid couldn't keep her eyes away from the wretched figure for long. There was something familiar about it. As it drew closer she began to recognise the knotted, greasy auburn hair and the small button nose. Her hand flew back to her mouth.

"Tavish?" She choked.

Tavish had reached them and he held his hand out and touched Baal's leg. Baal was still motionless, his eyes empty but inside he was in turmoil. Ealasaid felt tears, hot and stinging, running down her cheeks and hopeless sobs came from her throat.

Tavish's skin was grey, his fingernails were torn and bloody, bent back so far that she could see underneath them to the tender skin beneath. She could hear the sound of his teeth grinding together and below that the terrible gargling noise that bubbled up from his chest. He moved on all fours like an animal and his silver eyes, so much like his sisters, were bloodshot and crazed.

Tavish pawed at Baal's leg like a pet. Ealasaid reached out but Tavish pulled back with a miserable cry. Baal let his hand rest on Tavish's head, his eyes never leaving the distant spot over Ealasaid's shoulder.

"This is why I wanted to keep you away from this place. I hoped you would never have to see this." Baal said emotionlessly.

"What happened to him?" Ealasaid asked. Her body was numb as she looked at her twin.

"I happened." Baal said, offering no other explanation.

Tavish was tugging at Baal's wrist, trying to pull it to his lips. Baal seemed not to notice. Ealasaid couldn't help herself and reached for her brother again. Tavish pulled back, his lips pulling away from his teeth in a snarl and Ealasaid recoiled in horror.

Tavish's mouth was filled with cracked and bloody fangs. She thought she was going to be sick and clutched her stomach with a pained whimper.

Tavish came back and brought his lips to Baal's wrist. As Ealasaid watched in horror, Tavish sank his teeth into Baal's skin and thick blood, that looked like molten gold, flowed from Baal's veins. Tavish drank greedily and finally Baal met Ealasaid's devastated gaze.

"After you lost him I found him here. He didn't want to leave you Anima and he fought to get back to you but he couldn't. I tried to send him back to you." Baal finally told the secret he had kept from everyone for over a hundred years. "I didn't want to send him back human, he would be vulnerable and you would lose him again. I thought I could turn him into one of us, then you would have someone by your side forever."

Baal looked down. Tavish had let go of his wrist and was now curled against his leg, arms wrapped around Baal's calf and a far-off look in his bloodshot eyes. Baal raised his hand pointed, sending Tavish away from him and Ealasaid. Ealasaid watched him go, unable to say anything.

"You once asked what I tasted like. I told you that the one person who ever drank from me went mad. I still have Angel blood, they have never done anything to help a human, I should have known it wouldn't work."

"Is that," Ealasaid started but had to swallow the tears painful lump in her throat. "Is that going to happen to Jaylon?"

"No, it's a mistake I will never make again. Jaylon will return to you as a human. I just wish I could have done that for Tavish."

Ealasaid didn't know what to do. She was watching as Tavish skulked away to wait and observe them out of earshot of their conversation. There was no recognition on his face. He didn't know who she was.

Taking a breath, she drew herself up and looked at Baal with still, determined eyes.

"Where is Jaylon?" Her voice was eerily calm sending a chill through Baal.

Without a word he conjured another door and Ealasaid turned to watch as it swung open.

"Hey Little One." Came a familiar voice. "About fucking time."

Jaylon smiled. Ealasaid's knees went weak and she stumbled, almost collapsing before Baal caught her around the waist and held her steady. She clutched at his hand, twining her fingers with his as she watched Jaylon come towards them.

He got less than three steps before his own strength gave out and he fell to the floor, holding his stomach and letting out a scream of pain.

Within seconds Baal had crossed the space to his crumpled figure and he and Ealasaid crouched beside him. Ealasaid placed her hand on his shoulder and rolled him. His face was twisted in agony and she looked at Baal in shock.

"What's happening?" She asked.

"Hold his head." Was all Baal said and immediately she pulled Jaylon so his head rested on her knees. He was thrashing on the ground, his nails digging into the hard grey dirt beneath them and his black eyes darting wildly between their two faces. As Ealasaid watched a deep gash appeared in Jaylon's throat, growing larger and larger until it almost cut through to his spine.

Baal placed his hand on Jaylon's chest. Looking into Ealasaid's face he spoke in a low warning voice.

"This is really going to hurt."

His eyes glowed and the sky grew dark. The sound of hundreds of hushed, whispered voices began to rise up around them. Ealasaid felt a dull, thudding ache start in her stomach and winced as it grew more powerful.

Jaylon's thrashing had ceased and his dark eyes rolled back in his head. Ealasaid held him, trying to focus on anything other than the pain building inside her. The voices swelled, growing louder by the second until they were deafening and drowned out Ealasaid's agony filled cries.

Baal watched her carefully. Her beautiful face was twisted in pain but she was focussed on Jaylon as the wound on his neck healed and he grew still and calm in her lap. Baal couldn't stand to see her like that. With a roar he felt himself fall backwards as a red flash shot across the sky.

Ealasaid gasped. The pain had disappeared and she looked at Jaylon, smoothing his hair back from his face and kissing his sweaty forehead. His eyes opened slowly and raised to hers.

"Eala?"

"It's me Jay, I'm here." She said her voice cracking.

"You came to get me?" He asked. He tried to sit up but his body was like stone. "Why can't I move?"

"Your strength will come back in a few days." Ealasaid lifted her head at Baal's voice and another sob wrenched from her chest.

Baal was hunched over on the floor. Two black horns had burst from his forehead, torn black wings like a bat had ripped through his shirt, his entire body was trembling violently and his skin was cracked showing a glowing red from beneath. He looked as he had when he had dragged Elyas to Hell. Demonic and inhuman.

"Baal?" She went to move to him but he shook his head again sending his long hair flying over his shoulders.

Tavish had approached the huddled figure and was gently trying to tend to the wounds on Baal's skin. Ealasaid couldn't breathe. Baal looked deranged.

"Take him back." Baal thundered, conjuring the door behind Ealasaid and Jaylon. "He'll need your help to walk."

"You're not coming?" She asked fighting back tears.

"I'm warning you Fairbairn, if you don't leave soon there won't be any of you left to help him." Baal was reaching for her even as he spoke and she hurried to her feet and helped Jaylon to stand.

She pulled his arm around her shoulder and held him steady as they approached the door. She couldn't help but look back as they crossed the threshold back into their world. Her last view of Purgatory was Baal and Tavish huddled on the floor, Tavish was still stroking Baal's skin tenderly and they both watched her. Tavish with a faint curiosity and Baal with a feral need.

The door lead them back into the apartment and instantly Anton was at their side, holding Jaylon up and looking at Ealasaid suspiciously.

"You're walking." He said.

She nodded. "Help me get him upstairs."

Together, the half carried, half dragged Jaylon's limp frame up the stairs and into the bedroom. Ealasaid pulled back the sheets and they lowered Jaylon onto the bed. Ealasaid tucked the duvet around him and touched his cheek softly. Jaylon's eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell with his shallow breaths.

Anton was still looking at her with interest and finally she turned her head to him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked.

"How are you walking?"

She raised an eyebrow. "One foot in front of the other. It's not a trick, a lot of people can do it."

"Where's Baal?" Anton switched up his line of questioning.

"He stayed."

"He took it all." Anton said his voice disbelieving. "He took all of it."

"All of what?"

"Bringing someone back takes more than just magic words. It takes the life of the person bringing them back. Between the two of you it would have drained your strength but you would have both survived. If he took it all," Anton trailed off his voice filled with worry. "I don't know what that would do to him."

"Why would he do that?" She asked.

Anton smirked. "You really have to ask that?" She didn't say anything and he sighed. "Because he loves you, he can't bear to see you in pain, and he would do anything to see you happy. He would die to make you happy."

"But I won't be happy without him."

"Then we can only hope that he survives this. Pray if we have to."

Ealasaid looked back at Jaylon's peaceful face. "I don't care what it takes. He's coming back. He has to."

Shaking herself she pushed her shoulders back. "Elena should be here."

Anton nodded. A door appeared and they turned to it expectantly.

On the other side of the door was Elena. She was stood in her room, staring out of the window at the night sky filled with stars and she ran her fingertips along the stone windowsill. A cold breeze swept through the room and she turned her head to stare at a large wooden door that had appeared behind her.

She looked around for some kind of explanation but found none. Cautiously she approached the door scenting the air for any sign of danger. She could smell a familiar scent from behind the door and gingerly pushed it open.

Ealasaid and Anton watched as Elena came through the door and looked at them.

"What is this?" She asked in confusion.

They said nothing but stepped aside to let her see the figure on the bed. Jaylon slowly opened his eyes, turned his head to Elena and smiled tiredly.

"Hey baby." He said.

Elena was still. Her blue eyes widened and her throat worked as she swallowed a scream. His eyes sparkled as he smiled but his usually tanned skin was pale showing the harsh red scar across his throat.

Ealasaid stepped towards her and kissed her cheek. "You'll be staying here a while. I'll make sure you're both safe. He'll get his strength back in a few days."

Ealasaid and Anton left the room and seconds later Elena heard the front door close behind them. She was still staring at Jaylon. He didn't rise from the bed to greet her but beckoned her with a jerk of his head.

"Are you," Elena stuttered, "are you really here?"

He nodded and her face crumpled as her tears fell. She came towards the bed and he looked her over with a sadness in his eyes.

"What you done to yourself girl?"

There was still an animalistic quality to her movements. Her nails were more like claws and her paper thin skin showed every bone and angle in her body. He had seen the affect his death had had on her but only now, now she was in the same room as him, did he fully understand how close she had been to destroying herself.

"You were gone. For nearly a year I thought I'd killed you." Her voice was shaking. "But you're here. How are you here?"

"That doesn't matter." Jaylon said. "None of it matters."

Elena broke down. She went to him, climbing onto the bed and straddling his hips. Holding his face in her hands she kissed him, the hot tears falling from her cheeks onto his. He wanted to hold her, wanted to run his hands over the skin he had thought about ever since he had been gone but his strength failed him. He couldn't do it so instead he focussed on her lips against his and the feeling of her tears on his face.

"This isn't real." She said suddenly her lips moving against his. "This is a dream. I'm going wake up and you're not going to be here anymore."

"I'm not going anywhere baby. I'm never going to leave you again." He let out a sigh. "All those months, all I thought about was holding you again and now you're here, I can't."

Elena breathed in and took hold of his wrists, pulling his arms around her. His hands grabbed weakly at her t-shirt but he could barely hold on. Frustration tore through his chest. His Mate, the woman he had thought about every second he was in Heaven, was lying atop of him but he couldn't hold her. He couldn't run his hands down her back or thread his fingers through her long black hair. He couldn't stroke her cheek which was growing warm as she remembered the feeling of him against her. He couldn't wipe away the tears that were still falling.

All he could do was grip the material of her t-shirt with the little strength he had and let her familiar scent and warmth overtake his crowded mind. She held his face in her hands and her blue eyes darted back and forth quickly.