Sapphire Flame - Yasmeen J.
The Mortal Realm
Renèe paced around the empty house. The place her lone friend once occupied. She hadn't slept in days, she refused to do so until she saw her again. She just disappeared without a trace and that drove her into mild insanity. She knew nothing, the cops knew nothing, their coworkers knew nothing. She was just gone. The day she disappeared she was with him. The stranger that looked at her with the fondness of a smitten lovesick puppy.
Her hands trembled with anxiousness as she waited and waited for the knock that would come at the door in a matter of minutes. While the time passed, she looked at the area. Studied it. She then began roaming the halls of the place, noticing that she never really paid much attention to how Kaena lived. The place always stayed spotless; Not a thing out of place.
Renèe felt tears beginning to well as she thought about her friend. A lonesome woman with no family and no friends besides herself, she had nothing but her money, job, and luxurious apartment.
"My parents died years ago, I grew up in a home," she had told her, "I've never liked being around people after it happened."
She found herself wondering in her bedroom, looking over the things that were out of place. Her work clothes spread out on the floor in her bathroom, her bedsheets ruffled and messed up, and what caught her eye was a box sitting on her dresser. It was opened and necklace chains fell over the sides and rings and bracelets laid out around it.
Kaena never wore jewelry, she said necklaces gave her rashes and she didn't like the way rings felt. Renèe walked over to it, reaching her hand inside. She curiously raided it finding the usual, silver stud earrings, gold bracelets, even a pair of sunglasses.
When she got to the bottom she almost walked away when she saw another necklace. She picked it and held it in front of her. It stood out from the rest, with its shimmering silver chain and the deep sapphire blue framed diamond at the end of it.
Kaena owned a lot of expensive things but nothing as expensive as this looked. There was also something odd about it, it had an aura. A powerful one.
The knock came at the door causing her to jump. Her hand went to her chest as she caught the breath she had nearly lost. The detective, she reminded herself. She exited the bedroom but didn't drop the piece of jewelry, tucking it away in her pocket. Before she could get to the door she stopped before passing the living room, seeing something white sitting beside the sofa. Going to pick it up she heard the knock again but ignored it as she continued. Using her index finger and thumb, she raised the clothing up showing that it was Kaena's blouse. Stained with blood.
<><^><>
The Realm of Aedezia
Griffin sat bored on his throne. Instead of going back to Kaena after the meeting like he wanted to, he had to attend to the duties he fell behind on. Edric and Val stood on either side of the throne beside him. Griffin awaited the next person to walk through the doors of the throne room to beg or complain about something idiotic.
"This is ridiculous," Griffin whined anxiously. "Can't one of you take over?" He made a move to stand from the chair. Val's hand shot down to grip his shoulder to shove him back into his seat.
"For the Gods' sakes Griff," she groaned. "Your mate is fine. She's with Cya. Now shut up and be a king. It's bad enough you refused to wear your crown."
Griffin pulled his shoulder from her grasp roughly. "Whatever," he grumbled stubbornly.
Val rolled her eyes at his childish behavior. Edric's lips curled in amusement.
The doors swung open suddenly. He groaned and never looked up. Instead of hearing the multiple footsteps of guards and whoever they were accompanying, dress shoes clicked against the marble floor, there was only one pair of footsteps. Griffin finally peered up to see the pale man dressed in black standing a few feet away. His dark brown hair fell past his ears to only brush his shoulders, his intense brown eyes gazed back at Griffin with a purpose.
"Your majesty," he said gruffly.
"Brandon," Griffin spat his name. "What do you want?" he asked, standing in defense. Edric stood still beside him showing no emotion as usual.
Brandon moved to reach inside his back pocket, pulling out a tightly rolled piece of paper and holding it up. "A message for you."
"That you're delivering?"
He smirked. "It is a letter from my wife," he replied. Griffin quickly trotted down the stairs snatching the letter from him.
"Is something wrong?" he asked ripping off the queen's wax seal in order to unroll the paper.
"If there was, do you think I'd be here instead of with her?" He pointed.
Griffin ignored him as he read on.
"We heard the news of you finding your mate... and Akantha wants to meet her immediately," he went on, "I decided to deliver the message myself because I kinda wanted to meet her first. Plus Akantha won't me out of that goddamned castle, I needed some air."
He looked up, not needing to read on. "So she doesn't know you're here?"
He shrugged. "She might know by now. But I'll deal with her."
Griffin tucked the letter away. "I was already planning on coming to see her anyway your presence wasn't necessary-"
"What's her name?"
His jaw clenched beneath his beard. "Kaena. Kaena Black."
An odd expression flashed across his face but was gone in a split second and back to a smug smile. "Kaena, a unisex Hawaiian name meaning 'Praised'," he informed, a matter of factly. Griffin rolled his eyes.
"I'd love to meet the one to be 'praised'. Where is she?"
Griffin glanced back at Edric and he gave a small shrug. Griffin turned back hesitantly.
"Follow me." Brandon followed Griffin up the main stairs and then to a narrow hall.
Cya, Griffin called to her.
Yes Alpha, she answered like she always did.
Where are you and Kaena? He asked her.
Grand Library.
They turned down another hall and came to the double doors of the library and before he could open it himself they slowly opened. Kaena stood on the other side, and her eyes found him but then became stuck on Brandon. Cya walked up behind her with her arms crossed as she eyed the men.
"Majesty," she said blankly.
Brandon did a small courtesy bow with sarcasm written all over his face. "Cya. Still as lovely as ever."
He then turned to Kaena with a genuine smile.
"You must be Kaena," he greeted her. She nodded slightly. He took her hand in his and laid a soft kiss on it. Her skin looked so dark when it contrasted with his paleness. "Lovely to meet you. I'm Brandon."
Kaena studied the pale man in black before her. He was attractive with dark brown eyes and flowing hair and stubble along his square jaw. She got a very friendly feeling from him but he clearly annoyed Griffin with just his presence.
"Nice to meet you too," she replied to him.
Griffin turned to him. "Give me a few moments to explain everything to her then we can-"
"No need for that now. We leave tomorrow."
"But-"
"The carriage will be out front tomorrow morning." With that, he just walked away. She saw him clench his jaw.
"Well then." He turned back to them. "I guess we're leaving tomorrow then."
"Leaving where?" Kaena blurted. Griffin shifted nervously.
"I- Uh want you to meet someone. She's a friend of mine and she lives in the other place I told you about," he explained as gently as he could.
"Oh... Um o-okay... Who?"
<><^><>
Kaena sat up in the bed with her knees pressed against her chest and her arms around herself, staring outside the window at the far side of the room. She let out a small sigh as she relaxed into herself. After a while, the door creaked open and Griffin stepped through. Kaena slowly turned her head toward him, his hair was shaggy, his pants hung loosely on his hips, and he was shirtless. Kaena looked carefully over him with a blank face.
"Oh... I thought you'd still be asleep," he said.
She kept her eyes on him as she stood up and walked over. She peered at the tower of a man in front of her and reached up to touch his bare chest. Goosebumps instantly spread across his skin when they touched. She could feel the heaviness of his cold breath fanning down on her face.
He watched her every move as his heart raced. Just the surface of her fingertips felt like heaven, he never wanted her to stop touching him, never stop staring into his mystical eyes. He had waited so long, and he would wait longer for her if she said so which he knew she would. He knew she wasn't ready.
How is it possible to love someone so much? How can one feel something so powerful, unless the gods had bestowed it upon him, he believed.
Kaena was lost in a daze, having wandered off into his eyes. Their memories together vividly played, displayed from him to her. It made her smile. A soft pleasant smile that felt good as it tucked at her lips. And his scent. The scent that always made her feel safe whenever she caught a whiff of it.
Rain. The thick aroma of a rainstorm. He reeked of it in his human form and wolf, but mostly his wolf. Growing up, anytime it was pouring outside she'd sit by her open window and wait until it was over so she'd have something to remind her of Mutt.
Her eyes drifted shut as the smell started to overwhelm her. She was realizing just how much she missed him. Just how much she had cared about him. Just how much she wanted him. As her hand explored and explored and her breathing grew as heavy as his.
Her eyes snapped open as she sucked in a sharp breath, ripping her hand away from his chest.
"I-I'm sorry! I d-didn't mean to... I'm sorry f-for being weird..." she apologized, realizing her strange behavior. "I-If I made y-you u-uncomfortable I didn't mean to, I-I swear."
He chuckled softly. "Uncomfortable? Not even close," he assured.
"I don't know what's gotten into me. I feel so... different... strange," she explained cradling her head.
"It's normal to feel that way. Aedezia does that to mortals," he lied, knowing that it was something more. She stared at him for a moment then nodded with relief.
"This place changes anyone who steps foot here. Good or bad," he assured. "That was one of the things I was going to tell you before I even thought about putting you through that portal... I'm sorry I didn't..."
"It's okay... You didn't have the time..."
Across from each other, they stood, gazing with confusion. He approached her again and placed a giant hand on her shoulder and brought her closer gently.
"It's okay Kaena." The way he said her name melted her very being and tasted like honey on his tongue.
He cleared his throat. "Uh, Ida laid out some clothing for you." He pointed to a door at the far end of the room. She assumed it was a bathroom. "We leave soon so..."
She nodded and turned then stepped inside with one more glance at him. It looked like a normal bathroom just... Old. Things that she would normally see that were made of marble or glass were made from wood or rusted metal.
The clothes sat on the sink which was the only thing that looked made of something hard enough to keep it stable. She picked up the loose gray long sleeve top and pulled it over her head, next she slid into the tight black pants.
She looked up at herself in the mirror, expecting to see what she felt like; dark circles beneath her eyes, her hair dry and amess, the bruises along her chest and neck dark and purple, her eyes drained of their color... But the sight wasn't what she expected. There were no dark circles, her skin was clear with no marks or bruises anywhere. Her cheeks were full and her hair felt soft as silk when she ran her fingers through it and it had grown significantly.
What was happening to her?
The Vreko(Vampire) Realm of Aedezia
The air was different there, she had almost forgotten. It was humid and thicker, so dark you could see it, and smelled of death and misery.
Griffin held her hand tightly as she pressed her body against him and clung to his arm. She was beyond nervous after he had told her they'd be leaving for the other realm. They were descending the stone steps of Aedon, going toward the crimson carriage with two ebony horses attached at the bottom.
"A carriage? Is that really necessary?" she whispered in his ear, not wanting Brandon, who was sitting inside waiting for them, to hear.
"Just a stupid customary," he replied. "Haven't you ever wanted to ride in a carriage anyway?"
She shrugged. "I guess."
When they reached the bottom Cya stood there ready to open the carriage door. Griffin helped Kaena inside then stayed behind to say a few commands to Cya before sliding in beside her. Brandon was sitting across from them, he was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and hands balled on his lips, a concentrating look on his pale face.
Griffin knocked twice on the wooden wall and the carriage began to move. The sounds of the horse's hooves clicking against the hard stone and sometimes soft grass ringed in her ears. She focused on those sounds.
Before she knew it they were stopping and Griffin was taking her hand in his once again. He led her out and they stood there while Brandon went ahead of them. They were on a cliff which Brandon made his way to the edge of. The fog was so thick you couldn't see anything beyond where he stood. He suddenly reached his arm out into the fog and then paused.
"What's he doing?"
He only tightened his grip on her. "Just watch."
She did. The fog began to circle around his hand, swirling around and around as it grew larger. Soon it was big enough for someone to walk through, which Kaena knew she was expected to do. Expected to step into its hollow darkness.
"This time I'll be right by your side the whole time," he told her. "I won't leave you. I'll be here."
She craned her neck to look up at him and into the silver of his eyes. She believed him. She trusted him. Brandon glanced at them once before he went inside first, the darkness swallowed him whole but he went in so gracefully like it was all too natural to him. She took a deep breath as Griffin started his steps and she had to follow, staring into the swirling darkness the whole time.
He unraveled his hand from hers then placed it on the small of her back. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded hesitantly. She had no idea why this was so terrifying to her, maybe it was because she knew how she reacted to it the first time.
She could say that things went slower this time. They both sauntered within the darkness and came to nothing but an empty void, like the first time, she remembered. She felt her body instantly calm as Griffin held her through it all. They then were forcefully pushed out of it. Griffin keep his stability when they were out but Kaena stumbled on her feet, clinging onto him so she wouldn't fall.
"You okay?" he asked concerningly as he bent down to her height to inspect her.
"Y-yeah..."
He ran his hand over her the side of her face gently.
"Ready?" said Brandon who was standing a few feet away.
Griffin sent a glance his way. "Yes... Lead the way."
They began a long walk to the castle. Vryko. It was similar it Aedon, a cluster of towers as high as the clouds surrounding the Keep with a tall gate guarding the Barbican. Only the gate wasn't metal but wood and stone. Before they even made it in front of the gate it started to creak open. The sound was so loud the whole kingdom could probably hear it.
The inside was also looked just like Aedon, with vintage-looking decor, and a crimson and black-themed luxurious interior. His grip on her never loosened as they walked down a hall behind Brandon and then came to a door at the end of it. A throne room, of course.
Brandon faced them. "I must head back to our room before she notices."
"Already did."
The woman gracefully emerged from the darkness of the distant corner of the room. The first thing that caught Kaena's attention was her freakish downturned droopy eyes. They shined with an enchanting violet color and the woman herself was beyond beautiful. Her caramel skin glowed, her plump pink lips formed a soft smile, and her black hair fell down past her back and down to the heels of her feet. She wore a fitted black gown. A shining crown atop her head.
"Why do you insist on disobeying me, dearest husband?" she asked with a chill to her voice as they approached each other.
Brandon smiled, kissing her cheek. "You were smothering me, my love."
She sighed, bothered by his reason. "I was protecting you."
"Same thing," he shrugged. She gave him a disappointing look and shook her head. She then reached up to the ruby-encrusted crown atop her head and lifted it off to put it in his hands. She dismissed him with a soft kiss on his lips. He then walked off into the darkness.
The woman faced them. Her eyes gleamed with delight once she saw Griffin. She smiled warmly, opening her arms as she approached.
"Griffin, darling," she greeted, her voice calm and smooth now. She went to lay her lips on his cheek softly as she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. He returned the gesture, happily bending down to give a quick peck to her cheek and wrapping his arms around her.
"Gods," she said. "How long has it been?"
They backed away in unison. "Too long. How are you, my friend?" he asked.
"I'm wonderful. But I didn't invite you here to chit-chat... So..."
Slowly, he stepped aside, finally letting Kaena be unveiled to her line of sight. Her cheerful smile instantly turned down into a concerning frown as she looked over her face and body with almost frightened eyes. Kaena stared back awkwardly, her balled fists clenching together in front of her. Griffin glanced between them confusingly, he didn't expect that reaction from her.
"Uh- Um... Akantha, this is Kaena, Kaena this is Akantha," he said, breaking the silence. Neither of them spoke in response. Both captured in each other's beauty.
She started to saunter towards her with intrigue but also caution without a word. She closed the space between them eventually. Akantha's gaze became more intense as her eyes continued to bore into Kaena's wide ones, her chest even began to rise and fall with ragged breaths.
"Kaena... Black," she muttered under her breath.
"Are you alright, Akantha?" Griffin cut in, walking up beside them. When he spoke she appeared to break from whatever daze she lost herself in.
"I'm sorry," she said releasing a breath. "You're just... Breathtaking-...ly beautiful." She smiled.
"Oh... Thank you," she replied, a little relieved of her nervousness. Griffin gave her a weird look before making his way next to Kaena then placing a hand on her waist protectively, pulling their bodies together.
"Well," she began, clasping her hands together, an excited grin on her lips. "I think it's time Kaena and I get to know each other. Don't you think?"
"Um- ok. I suppose but-"
"Great! Come." Akantha reached out and took her hand dragging her away towards the door. "But wait! We need to discuss--!" Griffin called.
"Bye! We'll be back soon!" she yelled back as they disappeared behind the door.
"That went a lot better than I thought..."
<><^><>
She had taken Kaena outside the castle. They stood in a large dry garden, the grass stiff with no color, the flowers were wilted, weeds growing wildly around them.
Akantha started ahead on the cobblestone path centered in the grass. Kaena walked a few small steps behind her but then stopped when she did. Akantha glanced around herself, almost cautiously. She then put her hands out in front of her chest and began to move her fingers in a weird slithering motion as if she was trying to conjure something within her hands. Kaena soon saw that she was.
Violet waves of energy poured from her fingertips and formed into a small ball of light in between her palms. Before it could get any bigger than a seed, Akantha stretched out her hands, the ball turning into a tall shimmering line of energy. Kaena just stared on with fascination and fear.
With a motion of her hand, the line spread open transforming into a doorway. Through it, Kaena could see a plain field of the healthiest bright green grass, a blue sky full of white fluffy clouds. A complete contrast to the dark gloomy world around her.
"What... is it?"
Akantha didn't answer the question instead she beckoned her, "come." She moved forward, stepping through the portal.
They came to another garden that was nearly identical to the one just outside the portal. The beds of flowers instead looked alive and healthy with huge shrubs surrounding them, a stone path in the middle of it all that led further to nothing she could see.
All the flowers were roses with wide petals and long deep green stems but all different colors. The first bed they passed was a dark emerald color, the second one was a light greyish silver color like Griffin's eyes, the next set was violet, like her eyes. She stopped in front of them and then bent to pick a single one from the crowd.
She brought it up to her nose and buried it within, taking a big whiff.
"Tell me about yourself," Akantha began as she pulled the rose away and stared down at it lovingly.
Kaena tore her eyes away. "What's to tell?"
She chuckled. "Well everyone has a story, don't they? What's yours?" Kaena hadn't been asked a question like that since she met Renee. She hated the question with a passion.
"I don't," she denied sharply, "...have a story." Akantha only gazed at her calmly despite her outburst.
"Really? Or do you just believe that it's not worth being told?"
"I guess- Why are you so interested?"
"You're interesting," she said simply. Kaena studied her. "What do you wanna know?"
"Let's start with your family."
She quite possibly hated that even more. She had no family to talk about, it always made her stomach tighten to think about.
"They're dead," she blurted. She didn't know what made her say it like that but it was the truth.
"How?"
She grew frustrated. "Does it matter? It was a long time ago."
Akantha shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't," she said not wanting to push her any longer. They then came to another bed of colored roses. This time they had deep blue petals and a black stem that made it seem as though they were rotting. It gave Kaena chills to look at.
They came to a halt there and Akantha faced her.
"About you and Griffin," she continued. "How long have you two known each other exactly? He never truly specified."
I've known my Mutt for over ten years, she thought of the answer. I've known Griffin for merely five days. Three of those days I was unconscious.
"Who's Mutt?"
Kaena cringed. "O-oh... Uh- Well, he's- How did you-" She stopped herself. "It's... Griffin. That's what I used to call him. A long time ago."
She chuckled. "That's cute. 'Cause he's a wolf?" She nodded to the question and Akantha laughed again.
"Ten years you say? Explains why he never stopped talking about you." Kaena looked away as she felt a blush creeping up even though she knew she wouldn't be able to see it.
"I'm curious. How do you feel about him... So far?"
She thought about it. "I'm not sure," she said truthfully. "I'm still really confused on who exactly I have feelings for. Griffin was... someone else for such a long time and that was who-- what I bonded with. Mutt. But Griffin seems really special and nice and I can see how much he cares for me but... he's not... him."
He's so gentle and sweet, and no matter what he does I can always see that wolf within him-- but not in a bad way. It shows me that I won't have to worry about not having Mutt around even if can't see him in that... way." She'd hoped that she explained well enough for her to understand but also get her confusion.
"The way you both talk about each other. It's beautiful honestly... Griffin is lucky to have you." She then bent down to pick a blue rose. "You are a... true gem," she said handing it to her.
Kaena took it with shaky fingers. "Thank you..."
"So! How do you like Aedezia? It's beautiful, isn't it?" She changed the subject lightly.
Kaena looked over her shoulder at the gloomy world through the open portal doorway then back at the wonder in front of her. "Yeah... It is."
Akantha squinted her eyes at her. "How much do you know about this place exactly?" Kaena stayed silent. "You don't know who I am, do you? Why you're here? Anything?"
"I-I have an idea... but I'm just-"
"I ought to kill him!" she scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "He just brought you here without you knowing anything about me or this place."
"Well, he explained some stuff to me. Enough I needed to know-"
"I can guarantee he has not told you enough, even if he thought he did." She shook her with disappointment. "That man... He just doesn't think."
She still didn't fully understand who she was, all she understood was that she important to Griffin in some way. "Oh, you poor thing. I can only imagine how confused you are and what this place is doing to you." Her eyes shone with sympathy. She sighed finally.
"Don't you worry though, I'm going to help you before I even let Griffin talk to you again," she declared.
"How do you mean?"
"Just trust me," she assured. She grabbed her hand as they exited back out of the portal.
Published ~ 10/11/18
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