Chapter Seven (Luka)
And so I did.
The next day after I set the spell, I was walked out in front of a crowd of jeering soldiers and prisoners, some even throwing stones at me. I ignored them and kept my eyes locked on the man that sat on the throne high above the others in a palace decorated in gold. A palace that I had ordered to be made for us.
Us.
There was no more us.
There was only me.
I narrowed my eyes at Naosia as he sat there, his beautiful, muscular form adorned in golden silks as he nodded his head to the executioner, who came off the gallows to grab me by the elbow, forcing me up under the noose and on the rickety board that was ready to give way so I would die.
I stood there silently, hands tied behind my back with thin, tight wire. I stared up at Naosia as he stared back, his facial expression blank. The executioner slid the noose around my throat and tightened it, making me flinch for a second before he stepped back toward the lever, placing his hand on top.
"Bear witness," Naosia announced, his voice carrying over the crowd, "To the death of all those who betray me and stand against me. Bear witness to the death of he who called himself my friend. Luka Strykyrius! May you suffer in Hell for your act of treason!"
The crowd screamed with excitement that only died down when I smiled, feeling the corners of my lips lifting. Naosia blinked in surprise, but that was the last I saw of him as the executioner pulled the lever and the board under my bare feet gave way.
But of course, I wasn't getting a break yet.
The noose snapped taut as I dangled from the gallows. It didn't breath my neck like it did most. Instead, I hung there, squeezing my eyes shut in pain as my lungs clenched and my throat squelched. My heart began to beat wildly off the charts as my lungs struggled to seek air, but to no avail. My lips parted, but nothing came in. My vision darkened as I hung there, choking to death.
Then darkness.
A cold, empty darkness.
For a moment, horror struck me hard as I realized that no one had listened to my prayers. No one had listened to my screams.
And then there was light.
I woke up on the shore of some country I'd never seen before. Tall green trees surrounded me, all staring down at me as if to ask if I was all right. Birds chirped and fluttered overhead, doing tricks in the sunlight that burned down on top of me. I blinked a few times, then rolled over on my side.
It worked.
My spell worked.
I was... undead. I'd live to see Naosia die.
And after years of struggling with the new world that I'd arrived at, I managed to see him die. I managed to find Naosia as I road at the center of the army that I had once called my enemies, now my masters. The large horses led the army of many other horses and even the large men walking around me. Our armor clinked and jingled as we rode behind the man known as Genghis Khan and the Mongol army that he led storming across Asia, conquering Russian territories that I had once called home.
I rode in silence, ignoring the men around me who chuckled excitedly as we trampled through the village that surrounded Naosia's palace. I narrowed my eyes over the black veil covering the lower half of my face, scanning the once beautiful palace.
Now it was rundown, destroyed by battles upon battles and negligence.
Our horses pulled to a stop as our leader leapt off his horse, gesturing for men to surround the palace before he called forth those who were to be his bait. I slid off my horse, only grabbing my sword and sheathing it before I approached the man in his tall, round glory with several others, one of which was trembling.
A prisoner, much like myself, only I agreed to the demands of this sick and twisted army.
Because I knew there was only one person who could destroy the one who betrayed me.
I walked behind the Khan as he threw open the doors, causing servants in the main hall to scream and flee. The Khan ordered their deaths, save for the women. His guards obeyed, whipping out their bows and shooting the arrows into the backs of the innocent. I ignored the blood shed, simply walked at the Khan heels as he walked up the two flights of stairs to Naosia's room.
The Khan looked at me and I bowed before stepping forward, pressing my ear to the door. I closed my eyes, then stepped back, staring at the doors. They flew open by themselves so powerfully, they flew off their hinges and exploded into the room. They flew across a large futon and out the balcony windows to the ground below.
I stepped inside first and heard the twang of a bow releasing an arrow, but it stopped just inches from my temple before clattering to the ground. The Khan laughed heartily, but remained where he was.
I was bait.
I was his marionette and whatever string he pulled, I would obey.
And the next string he pulled was that I kill the guards in the room.
I entered the room further, then turned around to see the guards against the walls on the same side of the room as the door so I was facing the Khan, who watched me intently. His guards stood around him, aiming at me in case I was to turn against him.
But I never would.
I was a loyal puppet. I always was.
I held my hands and flicked my fingers. All the guards choked as some invisible force slit their throats. They gagged on their own blood, clattering to the floor. I lowered my hands to my sides, then bowed to the Khan as he stepped into the room, scanning it over as he ordered his guards to search the closets.
It only took seconds to find Naosia, holding the dagger to protect himself, but it did nothing against the Khan's guards as they wrestled the dagger away so it fell to the floor. The Khan came forward, with me at his side. He said something in his native language, but I didn't waste my magic to understand it. I just stood there, staring at Naosia as he panted hard, blood dripping down one corner of his mouth.
He looked older, more fragile. Pathetic. His dark hair was fading in color and his dark eyes no longer sparkled. Lines were etched into his angry expression as he spat at the Khan's feet. The Khan only smirked, then bent down and scooped the dagger up. He studied it before flicking it away as if it were a tooth pick before he reached to his sword, unsheathing it.
I watched, my eyes wide with desperate interest as the Khan swung the sword back.
"Bear witness to the death of the only mate willing to kill his other half for power." I breathed, reaching up and pulling my veil down. Naosia's eyes were flickering frantically before they locked on me, widening.
"Ru--"
The Khan swung his sword around, the blade slicing into Naosia's throat deeply. The guard holding Naosia by his hair ended up only holding his head as Naosia's body slumped to the floor, blood splashing in thick puddles. I watched intently as blood oozed from Naosia's decapitated head, his eyes still open and staring, his lips still parted as if in a futile attempt to finish his final word.
My vision blurred and it took me a moment to realize I was crying. I blinked, feeling the hot salty tears slide down my cheeks. I went to wipe the tears away, but I winced as the Khan swung his hand out, slapping me hard across the cheek. I jerked my head up, touching my throbbing jaw that felt like it had broken off. He stared down at me, emotionless.
"You do not cry." He ordered. I blinked a few times, then quickly wiped at my cheeks, nodding obediently as I pulled my veil back up.
He was right.
I shouldn't cry. Not over him. Not over the man who caused my death in the first place. I stood there silently as they left Naosia's desecrated remains in the room, watching as the Khan ransacked the extravagant room.
Don't cry, Luka.
There was no reason to cry.
Not anymore...
"Luka... Luka..." Oh god, there was his voice again. Where was it coming from? I blinked a few times and found myself staring up into Noah's face as his hands cupped my cheeks. His chocolate brown eyes flickered across my face worriedly, his deep dark hair slicked back out of his handsome face.
"What happened?" I managed, blinking again as Noah leaned back on his knees. I glanced around quickly to find myself lying against the tub in Noah's bathroom. The bathroom connected to his messy room. The room in the Luna Plantation House. In Alabama. Current time.
"I woke up to you choking and puking. I've been trying to wake you up since then. Are you all right?" He asked, his voice laced with concern. I stared at him now, remembering the name he spoke just before he fell asleep.
"You said something to me before you fell asleep." I stated. Noah blinked, tilting his head in confusion.
"I did?" He asked. I glared at him, pushing his hands away from me and leaning forward.
"You called me Ruruka. Where did you hear that name?" I demanded angrily. Noah looked at me, utterly confused.
"Why would I call you that?" He asked. I scowled, struggling to stand up. My legs wobbled and Noah reached out to help me, but I slapped his hands away harshly. He winced and withdrew, looking uncomfortable.
"I'm really sorry, but sometimes those things happen... I didn't want to say anything earlier because I didn't want you to dislike me."
"Say anything about what?" I demanded impatiently. Noah frowned, glancing around for a moment before looking at me.
"I have these... weird dreams. I dreamt about someone who looked just like you. Someone who had the same voice, same name, same everything, but he was younger. He kept laughing at me for being cheeky. I... assumed he was my mate." He admitted. I blinked, looking at him, bewildered.
"I don't even know you! We just had sex because we were horny, not because we're mates! My mate is dead because I killed him!" I snapped. Noah's eyes widened, his arms lowering to his sides.
"You--"
"It may not have been my hand that dealt it, but by my fault it was. You just called me the name my mate called me. Your weird dreams. You're a very cruel little brat. Isn't it obvious? You're a reincarnation. It all fits together and you knew it. You're pretending to be innocent." I accused. Noah didn't say anything, just stared at me before I shoved past him, heading into the room and kicking things out of the way as I grabbed up my things from the bed.
"Luka, wait! Please," Noah pleaded, stumbling out of the bathroom after me, "I wasn't sure! I didn't know if it was real! But you just confirmed it! It's me, Naosia!" I threw open the door, then stopped in the doorway, feeling cold as ice before turning around to face Noah as he came up to me, breathing heavily. I raised an eyebrow, glaring, then gave a slow, sweet smile.
"Really? Well, then I suppose I do owe you something."
Crack!
I swung my fist out and caught him in the jaw, almost knocking him off his feet. Noah gasped in pain, touching his cheek as blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. I whipped around, slamming the door shut behind me and stalking down the hallway, pulling my clothes on as I went, finally slipping my jacket on just as I passed Gavin and Kasper's bedroom, the door opening to reveal Gavin standing there tiredly, glaring after me as Kasper appeared beside him.
"Luka, are you all right?" Kasper asked quietly. I blinked, turning to face them. I stood there stiffly for a moment before smiling warmly.
"I'm perfectly all right, Kasper. I apologize for waking you. I'll be off to bed now." I lied simply. Gavin studied me for a moment, then looked at Kasper.
"Love, go ahead to bed without me. I'm going to talk to Luka." He murmured. Kasper nibbled his lower lip, looking up at his mate trustfully before glancing at me. I just smiled calmly until Kasper disappeared into their room and Gavin shut the door behind him, stalking down the hallway toward me. My smile melted as Gavin grabbed me by my tie, pulling me toward my room. I let him, hurrying to keep up as he opened my bedroom door and shoved me in before coming in after me, shutting the door and locking it before whirling to face me.
"What the hell is going on? You've been acting strange since we got here. And by strange, I mean stranger than usual." He snapped. I stood there straight with my arms at my sides, my head up and slightly cocked.
"Nothing, Gavin. Just... Feeling a bit under the weather. I should be better after I finish some chores. I'll just... clean my room." I said slowly. Gavin frowned now.
"What's wrong, Luka? I know something's wrong. I've never heard you yell like that before." He stated, making my eyes flash.
"I don't remember yelling." I responded. Gavin rolled his eyes, then scanned me from head to toe before locking eyes with me.
"I could hear you from my room. I don't sleep very well in strange places. I was faking for Kasper's sake until I heard your voice as well as that wolf's voice."
"Oh, please, Gavin, I--"
"He's the reincarnation of your dead mate." Gavin deadpanned. My blood turned to ice and my undead heart only thumped once before going still, clenching in fear under Gavin's accusing stare. I stared back at him, my fingers twitching to just blast him and get it over with, but I couldn't do it.
Naosia may have had no qualms about betraying those close to him, but I did. I couldn't attack Gavin. He was my master and the only friend who'd stuck by me for generations. I bit into my lower lip for a moment before narrowing my eyes.
"I only killed Naosia because he killed me first." I seethed. Gavin blinked, looking at me in surprise. I slipped my gloves off, tossing them on my bed as I pulled my tie loose to take it off. I kept my back to Gavin now as I decided to change into my pajamas.
"Naosia was a general for an army much like my own... I killed the commander of a dictator named Rajin. Naosia joined my army and we killed him together, then moved on to take over larger parts of Asia as well as the Middle East and even chunks of Europe. We were mates and we stuck together so closely, which explained our success. But when time came to crown the emperor of our conquered countries, Naosia didn't want to share the power. He planted evidence in our chambers and pinned an assassination attempt on me. He manipulated the power I gave him to turn our people against me."
"Naosia ordered my death and had me hanged. 'Course, he was always a cocky bastard, so he didn't know I cast a spell on myself before I died. I became a lich after I woke up on the shores of England, before it was England. From there, I traveled east and let myself get captured by the Mongols some years later. Genghis Khan was there leader by that time. He agreed to conquer Naosia's lands. I had full confidence he could do it. Just as I thought, the man went down in history for having conquered over half the continent. Genghis Khan killed Naosia, beheaded him right in front of me and I didn't do anything."
"It's only fair, right? He killed me first. An eye for an eye." I muttered, throwing my jacket on the floor and staring at it. Gavin grimaced, taking a step toward me, only to pull up short.
"An eye for an eye until you're both blind, Luka. If Noah's the reincarnation of Naosia, that means it was done for a reason. The Goddess believes he deserves a second chance." He started, but for some reason, that made me laugh. I turned around to face him.
"Of course you'd say that," I managed, glaring at him, "Your mate is just fine! You mate's a fucking saint! Your mate actually loves you! Mine loved taking over a country full of arrogant, manipulated humans more than he cared about me! So it comes as no surprise that you think he deserves a second chance!" Gavin fell silent, staring at me as I glared at him for the longest time, then shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. I dropped my hands down at my sides, taking a deep breath before looking at Gavin tiredly.
"I haven't slept since we arrived from New York back in August. It's December, Gavin. I'm tired. My magic is being wasted on trying to keep me alive. If I were still human, I would have died after the first two weeks." I explained in apology. Gavin frowned.
"There has to be a way to stop the nightmares."
"No. It's what happens. It's equivalant exchange. It's the natural order of life. As is the Three Fold Law that states what ever I do comes back at me three times over. I let my mate die right in front of me. I killed thousands of people with Naosia across the continent. I manipulated and played with humans as if they were toys, because I know just how that feels and it's the only thing that'll make them feel worth. Because of this, I am being punished..." My voice trailed as I averted my eyes for the longest time before taking a deep breath.
"I'm resigning once we arrive in New York again." I confessed. Gavin's eyes widened and I was surprised to see him looking scared.
"What? Luka, no--"
"Don't worry. The spell on Kasper will keep him alive for eternity whether I'm there or not. Tomorrow I'll gather my things and stay in the hotel so as not to cause problems here. I can't be here without having an episode. It was miracle that Noah found me and not one of the others." I said, heading to my wardrobe and pulling the door open, only to have Gavin slam it shut. I jumped a little, turning to look at him as he glared at me.
"How dare you." He managed. I watched Gavin's eyes shimmer a little, but true to his nature, nothing fell as he glared at me.
"How dare you swear your loyalty to me and then run away like this. I order you to serve me, Luka. You will not leave my side." He seethed, his fangs bared. I stared at him, my back against the door of the wardrobe as he stood in front of me, his hands on the wardrobe by either side of my head.
"Gavin--"
"You are my servant, my butler, my friend. You promised me that you would stay by my side for the rest of eternity and so you shall. And as your master, as your friend, I'm going to help you. I may not be able to cease the nightmares, but I can suppress them. There's a human drug out there. It's called Prazosin. I looked it up and it's used for hypertension, particularly in dreaming." He explained quickly, excitedly. I could only stare at him as he pushed off the wardrobe, standing in front of me.
"I can order a prescription of it and have it mailed to us within twenty-four hours. The first dosage will cause some dizziness, so you can just rest... Luka, this isn't just our vacation, but yours too. I was pushing you earlier because I was nervous and I apologize for that, but please. Take the medication. Maybe it'll help." He informed, studying my face. I frowned, staring at Gavin for the longest time.
He kept saying friend and for some reason, that made something in me ache.
So badly that I found myself nodding in response to Gavin, who sighed in relief, smiling at me gently.
"Don't give up, Luka. I'll find something." He added, then bade me goodnight before leaving the room. I watched him leave, then stared across the room.
So.
We found a solution for my nightmares.
What about my solution for the problem that was four doors down the hallway?