Chapter 19 - Time

Valentina:

I know Michael didn’t really mean what he said. I might be angry at his treatment, but I can tell that his words come from a place of fear. He told me himself that he didn’t get involved with humans because of their lifespans, and I know it’s also because of his guilt over losing his mate─me. One might wonder why I didn’t tell him about me being his mate, but a large part of me wants him to take the risk and accept me as his whether I am a human or not. On the other hand, I know that if I tell him that I’m his mate, he’ll just give in because that’s the expectation.

How depressing is that?

I may be a strong, independent woman, but I also have feelings too. If he truly wanted me, me being human shouldn’t be his reason for pushing me away.

As the evening commences, I dress in a pair of Sami’s leather pants, a black sweater, and a pair of black motorcycle boots that Ever bought me for my birthday our sophomore year. That was the first time we could afford to buy each other something substantial without worrying about not being able to pay our bills. At the time, I was working at a coffee shop, and Everly and Samira were working at the school’s book store. That same year, I bought Ever a pair of gold earrings she had been eyeing for a while and Samira a replica Egyptian - style collar and cuff set that she saw at a jewelry exhibit.

Once I’m dressed, I go to Michael’s weapons room. Michael looks up as soon as I walk in. Without a word, I take the Katana in its scabbard and gather several knives. Though I have reacquired my angelic powers, wings and sword, I figure it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I stiffen as soon as Michael comes close and says, “I know that this is not what you want to hear, but I care for you, Valentina and I want you to be safe.”

I shrug my shoulders and give him my best plastic smile. Sami calls it my waitress smile. It was the smile that I’d use on customers who were either acting difficult or who were just downright assholes.

“Don’t worry about me, Michael. I’m going to totally kill that Naga bitch and save my friend. Now, are you ready to do this?” I ask casually.

He opens and closes his lips as if to ask something but quickly changes his mind and nods, “Oui, let’s look at the map and review what I discovered from the drone.”

He lays out the map of the catacombs and draws lines across several veins within the maze - like structure. “We can take the entrance we found and follow these openings. From the images in the drone’s mind, I know that these openings lead to the queen’s main chambers. They are about six miles into these chambers,” he traces the path and draws a circle across the part that contains the chamber. “unfortunately, I cannot flash in without risking transporting into a rock wall, but six miles is not that long a trek. However, we will have to avoid running into any Naga until we reach her chamber.”

I nod, “Makes sense. Is there any specific way she needs to be killed?”

Michael nods, “Oui, the queen is stronger and faster than the soldiers or the drones. To kill her, you will either cut off her heart and incinerate it or decapitate her. Do not leave her head attached because she can reattach any appendages─even her head─ as long as they are not affixed and as long as her heart is destroyed, she will not resurrect. Do not underestimate her skills. Naga queens are quite formidable fighters. That’s why they are so difficult to kill.”

I think about my flaming sword and horseman powers. Now that I know the extent of my powers, I am confident in my ability to kill anyone who gets in my way of helping my friend.

If it comes down to it, I can have all of the Nagas kill each other while I go after the queen. Either way, the queen’s time is up because I need Sami to be alright.“Okay, cut off her head and rip out and destroy her heart─got it!” I call out assertively.

“We’ll hide in the edifice above the catacombs and wait until she sends out the soldiers and drones for their nightly hunt. Then, once they have gone, we’ll go in and implement our plan,” he states as he dons his armor and weapons.

Once again, I find myself at a crossroads about telling him the truth. It would be so simple to don my own armor and sword, but I know that I can accomplish our mission without it, and I’m not ready to reveal myself to a man who rejected me.

Ugh, why is life so complicated?

It doesn’t take us long to make it to the catacombs. As we planned, Michael and I hide and wait at the top of the catacomb’s tourist building.

Excitement thrums through my veins as I observe the soldiers and drones exit from one opening. Their movements are feral and primitive as they stalk outside the catacomb and make their way into the city.

Once they have disappeared into the distance, Michael and I quietly walk to the entrance and carefully traverse through the cavernous labyrinth.

The caverns are dark and dank with crumbling stone walls, and the smell of funk and sewage permeates the air, along with the smell of rotting flesh and dried blood. At one point, we run into a room with bones littering every crevice. I know that the bones are recent because some still have rotting flesh attached. It’s a grotesque scene that makes me nauseous the moment I see it. “Is that…” I gag and clutch my throat as I take in the macabre sight.

“Oui, Naga usually take their prey to their nests so they can feed their queen.”I close my eyes and shudder but don’t comment further.

It takes us nearly an hour to reach the midway point on our map. Swallowing the bile that collects inside of my throat, I rush through these caverns until I reach a room without any human remains. This cavern is bigger than the cramped ones surrounding it.

“Stay close, chérie. I cannot flash us out if we’re not touching.” Michael warns me as I move to the next cavern.

The further we move, the darker it gets until I can barely see in front of me, making my nerves feel frayed. Michael takes my hand and holds me up when I stumble. “We are getting closer,” he whispers, “I can hear movements up ahead, so be prepared.”

What Michael said about the Naga being like a beehive is not a lie. As soon as he says those words, we reach the main cavern and find ourselves facing a horde of Naga. The Naga swarms every crevice of the large cave-like cavern while the queen rests on a throne of bones at the top of the cavern.

As we remain in the shadows, I reach for my sword and prepare to fight.

Michael stops next to me, looking magnificently imposing in his black matte armor. He raises his sword and gestures toward the queen, “I will clear a path to the queen,” he turns and gives me a hard stare, “Kill everything that gets in your path, and do not get bitten. Remember…” he points his chest and neck, “…cut off the head and heart.”

I nod and follow as he rushes toward a group of Nagas standing close by. Before they notice us, he slices through one's neck, turns sideways and impales another one in the heart.

I follow his movements by kicking one’s legs from beneath him and stabbing him in the chest as he’s falling to the ground. Another jumps toward me, but I turn quickly and cut its throat before I plunge my other knife into its heart.

The queen rises from her throne with an enraged growl reverberating across the room, shaking the walls. The creatures screech, warning all of the others of our presence. It’s almost creepy how all of them turn their heads in unison and hungrily stare at us. The queen raises her long, spindly arms and screeches again. This time the creatures don’t stare at us. Instead, they move in tandem and attack.

Michael and I don’t hesitate to cut through them. Unfortunately, Michael and I become separated as the horde intensifies their attacks.

We cut through the throng, not taking my eyes off the queen. Kicking and stabbing, we manage to cut down some of the swarming creatures, but soon we’re overrun. A cry escapes my lips when one of the Naga takes a swipe at my shoulder and thigh.

Michael manages to grab one of the creatures attacking me and tosses it against a wall before he swipes at another.

I look over at the queen and gasp when I see her barreling toward us. “Michael!” I call out and nudge my chin toward the queen as I continue to fight my way through the throng, “The queen is coming!”

Michael swipes his sword across the necks of an incoming horde, making tar - like blood splatter everywhere as he decapitates them before he looks over at the queen. “I’ll take the queen. Watch my back!”

As we ascend the rocky inclines to the queen’s throne, I trip several times but manage to stay on my feet.

Just as I’m gaining traction, I’m tackled by two Nagas. The impact of my body hitting the floor make my knees scrape against the hard ground, and rocks dig into my ribs and back.

Rolling over, I cry out and kick one of them in the chest before I rise. Looking back, I see Michael reaching the queen and engaging her in a fight.

Michael fiercely swings his sword at the queen, but she’s fast as she dodges and fights back.

Turning over, I use one of the Naga’s momentum to impale him in the chest with my sword.

Unfortunately, I underestimate where I am, and my foot ends up falling through a hole on the ground. I claw the ground as my body is propelled back.

One of the Nagas jumps on my back and digs its sharp claws inside of my back, making me cry out. Thankfully, my leather jacket takes the brunt of the strike. Looking up, I flinch away when another tries to rip my neck with its razor - sharp fangs.

Michael stops and reaches for the creature before it could kill me, impaling it with his sword.

“Michael!” I cry out as a throng of Naga’s jump on him and begin to rip at his armor.

Michae’s eyes are glacial when he rips and swats at them like if they’re minor inconveniences.

However, as he’s fighting and I’m struggling to release my foot from the tight crevice, the queen releases another screech and slams her fists against the wall until they’re shuddering, making rocks and gravel rain down on us.

The Nagas seem unbothered by any of it as they continue to attack. Spikes of rocks fall and stab at their bodies, severing limbs, but they continue to fight.

Just as I’m releasing my foot, Michael cries out. Horror spikes through me when I see that the queen has stabbed him through the back with a sharp weapon that I didn’t notice until now. The weapon glows as it tears through his armor and organs.

“Michael! No!” I call out as he gazes down at the protruding tip of the weapon embedded in his chest.

Time slows as I watch him fall to his knees, clutches his chest and slumps down on the ground. At that moment, my powers awaken, causing waves of energy to course through me until my eyes begin to glow. Growling with rage, I send my power to all of the Nagas and watch gleefully as they turn on each other.

The expression on the queen’s face as she watches the Naga tear each other apart would be amusing if it wasn’t for the rage I feel over what she has done to Michael.

Stomping forward, I shoot power at her, but she seems unaffected. She hisses and growls as she moves toward me and attacks. Dodging her hits, I twirl and roll, trying to reach Michael. I have to know if he’s alright. Unfortunately, she notices my intent and manages to block my efforts.

Her eyes glow a fiery red as she swipes at me with her long claws. Jumping up, I kick her in the chest and stumble back. The queen howls as she reaches my leg and tears at my ankle with her claw. Yelping with pain, I fall to the ground and aim my sword at her, but she swats it away. Unfortunately, with all of the Naga crowding the space, I cannot release my wings.

“Bitch!’ I scream before I produce my knives and aim them at her heart. The queen sneers, her lips retracting from her fangs as she avoids my strikes again.

Before I can reach her, she squats down and begins to bang her fists on the ground. The floor shakes and shudders, making the Naga stumble and fall around us. I look toward Michael, who is lying on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood and try to reach for him, but the rocks and boulders begin to fall like wildfire around me. A thick cloud of dust spreads around us, making it difficult to see. My body is battered and beaten by the falling gravel as the floor begins to collapse.

Blinking through my eyes, I can see that the queen is trying to get away. I consider following her for a moment, but when I see that the ceiling is about to fall on Michael, I let her go and use all of the strength I have to keep the cavern from completely caving in. Unfortunately, I’m expelling too much power, and I quickly weaken and slump to the ground. Stars explode behind my lids, and my vision blurs as my limbs become too weak to hold me up. The deafening roar of the catacomb’s walls and ceiling coming apart echo in my ears as I try to drag myself closer to Michael.

Just as the cavern is about to bury us, Michael manages to rise and is about to reach for me, but we’re too far away, so he uses his power to help keep the ceiling from completely falling. But I can tell that his power is also dwindling due to his wounds.

“Get out of the cavern, chérie! I’ll hold it for as long as I can!” He calls out above the rumble of the collapsing chamber.

I cough as the dust filters through my throat and wipe my soiled face before I call out and duck away from the flying rock and debris, “No, I won’t leave you!”

Michael’s eyes sparkle with affection and terror as he tightens his jaw and wills his power to strengthen. “Go, Valentina! I will flash out as soon as you’re out!”

I know he’s lying to me because he doesn’t have the strength to do it. Unfortunately, the choice is taken from me. In a desperate move, Michael waves his hand at me and shoots out power that manages to drag me out of the chamber. It’s like I’m being carried by an invisible force.

“Michael!” I claw at the floor helplessly before the whole ceiling and floor collapse in the room Michael’s in.

As soon as it does, the force that moved me from the room stops, and I tumble onto the floor with a groan. Within seconds silence rains, leaving only the sounds of dust falling from crevices on the wall.

Tears blur my eyes, and my body aches painfully from cuts and bruises decorating my skin as I take in the now blocked entrance of the queen’s cavern.

Crying out with rage and despair, I slowly crawl to a nearby wall and slam my fists against the rocky surface. Regrettably, I’m so weak that it has very little effect. It’s like hitting a wall with a pillow. For nearly half an hour, I try to move the rocks or make an opening, but it's impossible because I’m too weak.

I don’t know how long I sit there crying before I manage to rise up and make my way out of the caverns. As I despondently trudge through the darkened chambers and halls, I keep looking back, hoping that Michael will appear, but nothing happens. No Nagas are stalking me, and there’s no sight of the queen. I have never felt so helpless in my life. Not only did I fail Samira, but I lost the one man who has stolen my heart. Though we had only known each other for such a small amount of time, I had never felt this way about anyone. Michael was everything I could ever hope for with his kindness, bravery and kisses that could make my toes curl. Making love to him was like nothing I had ever experienced. He worshipped my body and stole my soul, and now he’s gone. He just has to be alive.

I feel wrung out and hollow by the time I reach the cavern’s exit. Holding my sword tightly, I carefully approach the exit. It’s still late, and I’m unsure where the soldiers and drone that had exited before Michael and I went into the catacombs are.

The area is empty, though. The night is quiet and calm, contradicting the desolation swirling inside of me.

Unsure of where to go, I stumble through the Parisian streets until my vision blurs, and I fall to my knees on the sidewalk.

So this is how my life ends? It’s the least that I deserve for failing those that I love. Ever’s going to be so pissed at me. Are my last thoughts as the world goes dark and I fall into a dead faint.