Ivy.
Burning fires, distant roars, signs of blood, and many more.
These were things that filled my mind every time I closed my eyes, and though I sought comfort and love that I had for my children, I felt incredibly vulnerable.
It had been three days since I’d had the children and three days since I had even touched Damien. He was still not home, and my heart broke every moment he was away.
Some might think I was being selfish because I had three more mates here that doted on me endlessly and wanted my attention, but the problem was, it was hard when part of you was missing.
I wasn’t trying to be complicated.
I wasn’t trying to ruin the relationships that I had. Everybody seemed to think I should just be okay, but nobody knows what it’s like to have a piece of you torn away.
To have someone you love taken from you, and not knowing whether they are alive or dead. That feeling was incredibly raw.
One moment you’re trying to pretend you’re okay, and the next you’re sobbing.
“Hey, you,” Kate said, knocking on my door. I hadn’t seen her since the day the babies were born. She was full of life, but when we found out that Damian was taken, she headed back home in search of answers.
“You’re back,” I said with a small smile as I stood from where I sat and wrapped my arms around her, embracing her and her hug I feared would end.
“I told you I’d be back now. Where are my little babies at?”
With a small giggle, she strolled over to the crib and looked down at the two sleeping babies within. They were beautiful in every way, and I was still amazed every day at how lucky I was to have them.
“Castor is the sleeping beauty, as always. But her brother Pollux does not enjoy sleeping for more than three hours.”
Kate smiled down at them but then turned to me, wrinkling her nose. “I still cannot believe that those are the two names that you chose. Castor is such a boy’s name, and Pollux, are you trying to have the poor kid picked on?”
Laughter erupted from my lips for the first time in days, and as it did, I watched James pop his head around the corner, staring at me with surprise.
“Holy shit, how did you make her laugh? I’ve literally been trying to do that for the past few days.”
Wide-eyed and brows raised, she stared at him, absolutely dumbfounded by his outburst. “I asked her why she picked those baby names.”
Realization dawned on him, and as he looked at the children, he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve literally tried to talk her out of picking those names and sticking with them, but she is adamant that those are the children’s names and so, therefore, I will not argue with her.”
“They’re not that bad. Castor can be shortened to Cassie, which I’m sure that she will go by, and Pollux is a strong, sturdy name, and if he really wanted to shorten, he could shorten it to Polly, which is unisex.”
Kate stared at me in disbelief, absolutely speechless, as James sighed at my response.
“Yes, but that is not the only reason you named them that,” Mom called from the other side of the nursery where she was folding baby clothes. “Why don’t you tell them the other part of the reason why you name them that?”
Shaking my head, I had breathed out heavily and took a seat back in the small rocking chair I had near their crib. My eyes fell onto my sleeping children.
“It was a dream that I had. They were the first set of twins born in Gemini. Their bloodlines are strong and if you pay close attention, you can feel their power within them…I can’t explain it.”
“So they’re Gemini twins?” Kate muttered, scrunching her brows as in confusion. “That’s impossible. There haven’t been Gemini twins in what—”
“In the last one hundred years,” Priscilla said as she walked through the door with a cup of hot tea. “Sorry it took me so long, my dear Hale had a few questions to ask me.”
Taking the teacup from her, I smiled and gave her a silent thank you. The steam from the piping hot liquid filled my nostrils, and I closed my eyes, sighed in satisfaction.
“This smells absolutely delicious.”
“Oh, it is, and the herbs infused in the tea will help to loosen you up and clear your minds so that you can sleep.”
I knew Priscilla was right, but the problem was every time I closed my eyes, I saw Damian dying. I knew it was my mind tormenting me because I was so concerned, but to picture him on a boulder as a sacrificial lamb being slaughtered, it was a horrible sight to behold.
“I will try to get some sleep. The problem is whether Pollux will allow me to get some sleep.”
Everybody in the room chuckled, and my mother smiled, standing to her feet as she walked towards me. “Did you express milk today like I told you to do with the pump?”
Staring at her for a moment, I nodded my head slowly. I had a breast pump, but being a new mother, it felt unnatural. Even though it was super convenient, I enjoyed the feeling of having my children nurse from me. Having my body supply them with an ability to live.
“I did. I stocked just like you said. There is enough for tonight, and tomorrow morning.”
“Good,” she replied with a smile on her face as she glanced at Priscilla. “Priscilla and I will take tonight’s feeding shifts with the milk that you’ve stored. You will sleep and not wake until morning.”
“That’s easier said than done, mother,” I scoffed as I lifted the teacup to my lips.
“It isn’t as hard as you think, and instead of trying to deflect the situation, try to accompany it and agree.”
There was no winning with this woman. She refused to leave, no matter how many times she had talked to her mate Blake. He was growing impatient, but she told him he could come up here if he was so concerned.
“Oh, speaking of that, I wanted to let you know that your mate sent me with parting words to give to you,” Kate said as she turned to my mother, whose eyes narrowed slightly before she crossed her arms.
“Is that right? And what were those words?”
“He simply said that if you don’t come home, he is going to come here and drag you home, regardless. He wants your one-on-one game night fun. Whatever the fuck that means.”
A twinkle in my mother’s eye caught me off guard, and I knew exactly what that was a reference to. “Kate, you literally just passed a sex message,” I said nonchalantly, watching as Kate’s eyes widened and a look of disgust crossed her face as she glanced between my mother and I.
“OK, that’s just absolutely fucking disgusting. I am not your sex correspondent person over here. You two need to learn how to figure out your arrangements.”
Laughter filled the space around us as we enjoyed Kate’s disgust over what she had just done. Moments like this were the ones I looked forward to.
“I know that you’re trying to keep my spirits high, but I have to know… did you find anything okay, Kate?”
The change in conversation seemed to bring silence to the room. Each of them looked at each other before Kate sighed. “I wasn’t able to find anything, but we have a solution.”
“Solution? What kind of solution?”
“Angel and I are going to the council at dawn,” She said, catching me off guard.
“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “It’s dangerous… you can’t, Kate.”
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.”
“I said no!” I roared, jumping to my feet. Those in the room jumped back from me in fear. “I will lose no one else to these people.”
“Ivy, my love…” James said softly with his hands in front of him as he stalked toward me. “I need you to take deep breaths and calm down, please.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down.”
“Ivy. Look at yourself… like actually look,” James said, causing me to flinch at the tone of his voice. Unsure for a moment, I let my eyes cast toward a mirror hanging on the wall. The reflection was one I didn’t recognize, and flinching back, I gasped.
My eyes were no longer the celestial blue but pitch black, and my hair a flaming white with tendrils of darkness spreading across my body.
“What’s wrong with me?” I whispered, trying to understand what was going on. However, soft cries caught my attention and turned my focus toward the crib.
As if a switch and been turned off, all the anger and fear washed away from me, and quickly I made my way towards Pollux, picking him up. “It’s okay, don’t cry.”
“Ivy, how long has this been going on?” Priscilla asked from where she was standing.
“I have never seen that before…”
It wasn’t a lie. I had never done that before, but it didn’t matter. My baby needed me, and the time to visit was over.
“Ivy, this is important. It’s clear to everyone that things are not well with you right now. Your emotions are all over the place. You’re changing… not eating right—” James replied.
I knew he was right. I didn’t understand my feelings, and deep down I felt something inside me growing that was different from before.
“Something’s wrong with me, but I’ll be fine. We need to find Damian.”
Turning my back to them, I was done with the conversation. There was nothing else to say, and even though I knew I needed to take care of myself, I refused to think about be right now.
I could only think about making our family whole and getting revenge on those who had harmed us. No one could deny what happened to Damian.
I had felt his pain, and as the darkness deep inside me slowly grew, I found a new determination. One that would lead me on a path of war if it must.
I would kill anyone who betrayed me, and I would protect everyone I loved.