A Home for Misfit Monsters

Chapter 21 - Not This Time. Not In This Life.

"You know none of us are leaving," Rhia's mother said as the Sedliw swirled together with their magic sparking around them. "We've waited too long for this day."

The floor rumbled as a collective hiss filtered up from the floorboards, and Vynri laughed. "The ghouls are ready to fight, too."

"It takes a lot to get us up in daylight, but this house is humming with a beautiful mix of vengeance and blood thirst," Xander said as he shuffled into the sitting room followed by the rest of the vampires shrouded in heavy black robes shielding them from the sunlight. "And we have yearned to taste the blood of a god." He grinned as he and his kins' eyes glowed in a sinister crimson hue. "We shall not cower from this fight, either."

"My, my," Gia said, rising from the ashes of the fireplace with a proud grin on her face. "You've roused the demons below with your vows of war. They will be joining you in this fight, too." She slid her gleaming eyes to Rhia and Ezra as she swirled across the floor and took their hands. "This battle is your moment to prove to yourselves, your family and the celestial gods that together, you are no force to be reckoned with, and this Earth is not for the taking."

Rhia looked up at Ezra and their bond pulsed and hummed in his veins, sweeping over him like a reassuring vow that they would have a future and the life they'd always wanted.

Sliding his hand to Rhia's cheek, a smile tugged at his lips. "Together, sweetness."

She nodded, sliding a hand over his. "Together, my Ezra."

"Then we don't have any more time to waste," Rianne said, clapping her hands. "Callie, you work with Gavina and Vynri to fix that spell against the hunters. Werewolves and demons, you work on the gazebo and solidify the barriers. Vamps, you work out a plan with the ghouls. Sedliw, you do what we do best and work on spells and potions," she said, turning her gaze to Ezra, Rhia and Gia. "You three come with me and Annie. We need to tweak our plan too."

"Shouldn't we all be privy to your plan with Rhia and Ezra?" Gavina said, looking around the room. "Wouldn't that keep us all safe?"

Rhia shook her head. "No. We're keeping you safe by not telling you."

"You know how our brother is, Gavina," Ezra said, squeezing Rhia's hand. "The less you all know, the safer you'll be when Godiran shows his face."

Rhia stood in the mirror in her bedroom, smoothing her hands over the flowing black dress her coven chose for her. Golden roses embroidered the high collar and bled into the spiked epaulets adorning her shoulders while tiny chains cascaded down the long slits of her sleeves.

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Everything was ready, and everyone was in place.

A soft laugh escaped her lips as she wiped the tear rolling down her cheek. A week ago she was just a carer of a monster house having recurring dreams of a sexy demon and she thought that was as crazy as her life would get.

Now she was a goddess about to have the fight of her life against God and his army of hunters.

"Rhia, are you okay?" Ezra asked, ducking into her room, dressed in a fitting suit the color of midnight. Matching spiked epaulets adorned his shoulders and a long sweeping cape cascaded down his right shoulder, making his godly form look devilishly classy. He took her hand, bringing it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her palm. "You look stunning."

"Thank you," she said with a blush scorching her cheeks. "And I'm...I'm okay. Just nervous."

"Everything's going to be fine," he said, sliding his hands to her cheeks. "We have a plan and everyone is ready."

She nodded, wrapping her fingers around his wrists. "I know," she whispered, staring into his tender black eyes. "Promise me again, Ezra."

"Okay," he said, leaning down and pressing his forehead against hers. "If everything goes wrong and Godiran takes hold of this Earth, I promise to find a safe haven for our family."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Ezra kissed her forehead. "But that's not going to happen, sweetness," he said, pulling away from her just enough to gaze into her eyes. "My brother may have his army of mutilated gods, but we have the power of the core, our family and most importantly, we have each other."

"Yes, we do and this time I won't take the power of our love or our bond for granted," Rhia said, kissing him softly. "I love you, Ezra."

"I love you too," he murmured against her lips. "We have one last fight and then we can build whatever future we want together."

"I'd like that," she said, sliding her hand to the back of his neck as she kissed him again, pouring her love into him. Their bond ignited and burned between them as if to seal their promise and seal their fate.

Their future was theirs to create and while they had it in their power again, they wouldn't fail and they wouldn't falter.

Not this time and not in this life.

A/N: Not the vamps and ghouls waking up to make sure Rhia and Ezra knew they were going to be part of this fight too! 🥰 I'm *so* ready for this battle! 😈 But I'm not sure how much of a party this is, rather than them preparing the trenches for war...🤔🙃