Insatiable

Chapter 19 - All Your Gold

• Alaric •

She was the kind of Light that whenever forced to the extreme, could reign death.

The kind of Light that would send the world into pure chaos and oblivion. Back to when earth was nothing but a pitch black abyss full of corruption.

The kind of Light that rendered everyone immobile.

The kind of Light that no one warned me about.

"Alaric..." I heard from behind me.

I just shook my head. "There's nothing I can do," I said as I stared in pure fear. "We're screwed."

~ 12 Hours Before ~

I gazed out the window. The flames licked the sky as my beloved building was set ablaze. The one place that hosted gentle memories to me. Xenia took it away.

"I heard about what happened," a gentle voice said from behind me.

I felt her come up behind me and wrap her arms around me. I frowned and grabbed her hands and held them tight.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"I'm fine, Lena," I said softly.

She slapped my chest and stood in front of me. I watched as her tiny self crossed her arms and tapped her foot. Her soft brown hair draped over her shoulder, and her toffee brown eyes stared back at me with pure denial and conviction-she was angry. She was adorable when she was angry. I couldn't particularly take her seriously, she was so... small.

"There is no way you can stand here and watch something so precious to you be destroyed by the one person you loved-scratch that, love! You love Xenia, and yet you're just acting as if you don't care. You can't fool me, Alaric. I know you. Hell, you practically raised me, of course I know you!" She paused and sighed. She grabbed both of my hands and squeezed them as she looked deep into my eyes. "Get. Her. Back."

I smiled gently and took my hand away from hers and caressed her cheek. "Not this time, little sister."

Her face contorted into a frown. "I don't understand."

I pressed my lips to her forehead and wrapped my arms around her. "Because we've crossed too many lines. She hates me, Lena. I don't think I could ever earn her forgiveness."

"What did you do?"

"Oppressed her."

"Alaric..."

"I know," I sighed. I looked down at her and brushed her hair off her forehead. "But I don't want to talk about this with you. And I don't want you running off to see her."

"She doesn't even know who I am."

"I'm sure she remembers me speaking of you," I smiled.

Lena raised her brows. "You told her about me?"

"Of course," I chuckled. "You're precious."

She shoved my hand away with a laugh. "Don't baby me."

I laughed and just gazed at her. "I never got to apologize to you."

She cocked her head to the side. "Now, why of all times would you bring that up?"

I motioned to the fire. She turned around and looked then frowned slightly.

"He raped me, killed my family, and held me captive," Lena said gently. "There's no need to apologize, it wasn't you, it was him."

"He was my biological father."

"Who abused your mother."

I shrugged slightly. "But think about it, if that never happened who's to say I would've been able to save you?"