The Demon's Demand

Chapter Thirty-Five

The trackers, and various warriors from around seven different packs guarded the perimeter of the grounds and kept watch for any sign of Cade and his followers. The baby has been doing a number on me recently. Dr. Mae, Mom, Ryland and even healers from other packs have tried to figure out what is causing this but nothing. My stomach had small bruises lining my skin in various places, and the baby has been kicking me like there is no tomorrow. They made it clear there is so much unknown with this pregnancy since they do not know how the baby has survived Cade and what the effects of the Shadow Queens protection could have caused.

Ryland was pacing in front of me running a hand through his hair as he fought with his wolf for control.

I went to stand up when he whirled around giving me a look to not test him.

"I can still walk." I protested swinging my legs gently off the edge of our bed. "I can still help." I spoke about to stand up when he quickly walked over, gently pushing me back onto the mattress. I gave him a look only earing a glare in return.

"I know you can." He whispered. "But I won't risk anything happening." I groaned flopping back against the bed.

"I don't need to be babied." I frowned clutching the pillow in my lap.

"You can help, but you're not leaving the house." He compromised. I gave him a look but decided that's better than being stuck in here for goddess know how long.

He carefully helped me up and we walked towards the stairs hand in hand.

"Anything happens, and I mean anything. You will tell me right away." He spoke turning to face me, his eyes hard but filled with concern. I just nodded and stood on my toes brushing my lips against his gently, to try and calm him down. He gave me a small smile before turning with me back to the stairs. I took a step and immediately felt a literal roundhouse kick in my stomach. I tried to hide the wince, but I know Ryland saw it.

"It was nothing." I lied and continued down the steps with him. We walked into the living room, where Mom, Dad, Jake, James, Kolton, and Lydia were seated looking over various documents and maps.

"Absolutely not." Mom snapped when she met my eyes. "You should be in bed."

"I am fine." I snapped back. I walked in and sat on the couch next to Dad. He gave me a look but returned his eyes back to the various texts that were laid out. Ryland lifted one of the maps, taking focus on marks embedded into each of them.

"What is this?" He asked looking directly at Lydia.

"All of his locations in the past hour." She muttered. She looked drained.

"How is this possible? Even with portals this shouldn't be able to happen." He spoke.

"Haven't we gotten to the point now where we have noticed he can do a whole lot of things that shouldn't be possible." Lydia snapped. Ryland's eyes shifted red, and I immediately went to stand to get in between them, when I felt nauseous and slumped back against the couch, earning looks of concern from everyone. Before I could even blink Ryland was in front of me, his eyes still their blazing red.

"I'm fine." I breathed.

"T-Tia." James whispered. Thats when I felt it. My hand. No. No. No. No. No.

I looked up at them with frantic eyes. This has to be him.

"We will not be going." Her voice echoed as if this were nothing. "We are more powerful than him, why should we bother. I think we can make better use of our time." I couldn't miss the evil tone in her voice.

"Let him try to pull you through, but do not allow him to. We will use this time to try some tricks I've been wanting to use." Her laugh echoing through my skull. I somehow managed to tune out everyone in this room. My head almost felt as if it were underwater as I only focused on her voice in my head, I almost felt like I was floating. I couldn't feel my trembling hand, the pain in my stomach. Nothing.

I groaned as I felt the tugging sensation in my head. My vision was blurring, but the environment wasn't altering at all.

"Envision a tie between you and that abomination." I did as she said closing my eyes and searching my mind for what appeared to be a dark and daunting chord in my head. "Now send hell through it." She chuckled. I felt my mind alter slightly as she tried to take more control, I felt it as she sent our power spiraling down the chord. I could feel the terror and despair emanating as the pull on my mind loosened. I felt the memories, of his body getting broken over and over again, the memories of when I plunged that knife into his chest, that day in the woods. I watched as I saw memories of his body being destroyed over and over again, by multiple gods and goddesses. The terror and excruciating pain as they altered with his mind and allowed the demon that appeared to be nothing more than a shadow infiltrate his body. The memories all halted as I felt no control and no tug from him anymore.

"You are doing it." Her voice rang through my head. "Reach for the chord of power that is usually pulling at you and sever it."

I imagined the dark, wispy chord that radiated nothing but pain, and watched as it shattered into nothing but dark fog.

"Finally." She muttered. I took a deep breath and looked around the room as I got myself together. Everyone was staring with wide eyes.

"Now we know some more about my dear cousin." She chuckled. My eyes widened in shock.