War of Prey

49)Behold the Broken Angel

"Their love will never die as long as God loves man. Oh, what a powerful thing."

***

Hands grip her body and cold air blows over her exposed skin, the room is aglow with crimson light and a smell of gasoline. She wills her eyes to open, but they won't. They stay shut despite the protests of someone telling her to open her eyes, hands caress her face, and her hair is brushed from her eyes. She recognizes the hands, the feel of them on her body, the soft whisper of the voice, and the scent of the person holding her. Gemini.

"Daughter mine...what has happened?"

"She had a relapse and lost control. I was hoping you could heal her and tell her who she is; it's driving her insane and I hate to see that," Gemini replies while holding Rhea closer to his body. She makes no move to be released, just content laying in his arms.

"I can heal you and I will. It is time for me to tell you of your lineage, and to do that you must be in good fighting condition. Bring her to me son," the head of the Secret Underground demands. Rhea feels herself being shifted and walked forward, her back touches something cold and she feels Gemini to her right, holding her hand. "Place your hand in with mine, daughter."

Rhea reaches up to obey but her limbs refuse to cooperate. Instead, Gemini takes the hand and places it where the head commanded. A jolt of electricity goes through her.

It will heal. It may take a while, but it will heal, it isn't that bad. She looks down at her arm, at the gashes on the light gold skin that she put there. It looks worse than it is. She times herself. She tracks the time of how long it takes for the wounds to heal, how many drinks she can consume before drunkenness, and how many pills it takes her to overdose. Call her strange, but she is more inventive, more intelligent but people misinterpret that as oddness. Not that she cares what they think of her, their opinions mean as much as the psychiatric recommendation letter on the dining room table. Useless and a waste of space. Her wounds have been healing quicker, her BAC climbing higher with little hangovers, her pill intake increasing, and giving her a stable high--this is her life's work. Her father's life's work. She couldn't let it go to waste. He experimented on her for a reason. He trusted her and knew she would survive. She is his best creation, his most cherished prize; she is his baby girl. Her father loved her so much, that is why he experimented with her, he saw the potential and fire in her. He saw himself.

"Look at me daughter mine. I need you to look at me before I tell you who you are. Look at me," the head commands, and Rhea tries to obey to the best of her ability, but her eyes are still blurry. "Good girl. Son, you may take her back in your arms. Hold her tight for this will cause her to go into shock."

Gemini's arms wrap around her and he kisses her temple, her body no longer twisted and broken, and she curls into him. "I've got you, Ath. I've got you."

"You have heard the story of Laci and the Broken Angel; the Broken Angel is her daughter. There is a reason that Laci has only one child: her power was too great to bear a second child, and all of her love and dedication went to her only child Ashaura. Laci was married to a man named Atticus, they were wed and conceived Ashaura less than six months from when they met; Ashaura is the Firstborn of the world. She was the first child conceived, all others were created until others were conceived. There was something special about Ashaura from the moment of conception. Her heart was filled with poison, her veins overrun by power, and her brain wired to rule the world. Reina disappeared when Laci's child was born, so disgusted by the idea that she was carrying the Firstborn, it angered her that once again her sister had beat her. Reina had two children, Antarctica was born three years before Artimus, and when Artimus was born Reina returned to the Highrise where Laci lived and begged her sister to let her and her two children stay. Laci was a good-hearted woman, born Lacilyna, and she was the most beautiful creature. Reina, born Reinalyne, killed their father to gain the throne, but her father cursed her from Heaven. Her first child would be condemned to an eternity of memories and pain, that Reina may be brought back from banishment if her daughter could find the Dragon Jewel, the most prized possession of the king.