Awakening The Goddess: Book II

Chapter 8: Power

Derion

I paced around my office with a searing headache as I fought the urge to slaughter everyone around me until I found Eriana. I hadn’t seen or heard from her in three days and my heart ached. When we were sorting out her relatives I saw the extent of the damage I’d done to her and so did everyone else. Her perfect angelic face was bruised and scratched up from being pushed into the wall and my handprint stained her neck almost all the way around. She wouldn’t even stand by my side as we spoke to them.

Everyone knows that it was a legitimate accident but I could feel the judgment rolling off of them in my direction. They all looked at me differently and Eriana, my sweet Sunshine, wouldn’t look at me at all. Hell, how could I blame her, I couldn’t look at me either.

Jordan basically abandoned me and the longer I was away from her, the deeper I sank into my bloodlust. Worst of all, she took Bria wherever she went as if I would ever hurt my Sunflower. I guess I could understand where she was coming from since I would never purposely hurt Eriana either, but here we are.

My whole life is crumbling around me and I couldn’t understand why. I tried so hard to be the best mate to her and the best Alpha to my pack but I’m just not good enough. I don’t deserve any of this. I don’t deserve my title, I don’t deserve Eriana, Bria, or my son. I’m just a f*****g monster who hurts everyone in my path.

I could feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I longed for her touch, just to be in her presence or even just to hear her voice. I could feel myself breaking down again as the darkness made its way into my heart sending me spiraling into an abyss.

I just wanted her back… back in my bed, back in my arms… back in my life. I picked up my phone and called her for the hundredth time in the last hour. Her phone wasn’t even ringing now, it was just going straight to voicemail. I sighed as I sent her a text, pleading with her to talk to me and then another and another and another. Before I knew it, I’d sent her fifteen texts that would go unanswered like the ones before. I could understand if she just needed some time or space, but I need her to understand that I just need to know that instead of her disappearing on me.

I know I had no right to make demands of her, especially after hurting her the way I did. If she ever spoke to me again in this lifetime or any lifetime after it would be by her grace only. I sighed as I slumped onto the couch that I’d made my temporary home until she came back to me. How was I supposed to sleep without her beside me? I couldn’t. I can’t eat, I can’t even think straight. All I feel is an overwhelming emptiness and rage. There was no in-between.

I need to do…. Something, but what is there for me to do? I probably look like a feral wolf right now and I was in no shape to see anyone, let alone my family. I needed to let off some steam and I had just the idea of how to do that.

I walked out of my office and made my way down to the prison cells that Eriana’s parents and her aunt were currently occupying. I smiled for the first time today at their mangled bodies and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of their spilled blood. I could never get tired of that metallic tang that hung in the air afterward. I opened the door and stepped in quietly when Eddie’s one good eye landed on me, the other hanging out of its socket.

I could feel the hatred rolling off of him and I reveled in it. It made me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I walked over to him and squatted down in front of him before plucking his hanging eyeball. He could have popped it back in, but honestly, I enjoyed this sight much more.

“What’s up, Eddie? You ready to join your good friend Sylvester in hell?” I asked with a smirk. He’d gotten a piece of glass he was planning on stabbing me with, but he was too weak to conceal it properly. I turned away from him, giving him the opportunity he craved as he hoped it would lead them out of here. As soon as he made his move, I caught his arm, crushing it as he cried out in pain.

“Before I kill y’all today, tell me this. Why did y’all think it was okay to let a grown man rape and sexually assault all of these girls when you were supposed to protect them?”

I stood up and paced between the three of them but no one said a word. I wanted to give them a chance to redeem themselves, to repent and confess but they still sat on their sorry asses and said nothing. I huffed in response and made my way over to Mae. Her chest heaved heavily as she struggled to breathe. I’m sure one of her broken ribs had punctured her lung and she would die one way or another in the next few hours.

I watched her and contemplated if I should give her a swift death so she shouldn’t suffer, but then I remembered she was the first one to accuse Eriana, Mya, and probably Kamryn of trying to steal her man. They were under her care when these atrocities took place and she deserves no mercy. I could feel the fire run through my veins as I thought about how she allowed her so-called man to hurt them, to hurt my Eriana. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got and I’d planted my boot into her face before I could even stop myself.

I heard the crunch of her facial bones under the weight of my foot but somehow she was still breathing. I’d let her live so she can see the death of her brother first and Beatrice second. She could stare at their cold lifeless bodies as she took her last breath and they could all join each other in hell for all I gave a f**k.

I walked back over to Eddie and yanked his hanging eyeball out and the sound of it tearing filled me with glee. Too bad I didn’t have much time, I would really enjoy ripping him limb from limb like a piece of paper. I would save that for Beatrice for putting her hands on my Sunshine. I wrapped my hand around his throat and squeezed as hard as I could.

His remaining eye bulged as blood splashed out of the other one onto my hand. He tried to pry my hand from his throat but even in his younger days at his peak, he could never be stronger than me. I could hear Mae and Beatrice sobbing behind me, but it only made me squeeze tighter as I watched the light dim from his eyes. I didn’t even realize I was smiling until my cheeks started to ache and when his head finally lolled to the side with those dead lifeless eyes staring up at me I felt a surge of power rush through my body and I felt like an addict picking up an old habit. This feeling… I never want it to end, so it wouldn’t. I looked over at Beatrice and smiled at her cowering in the corner as if she could stop what was coming next. I wasn’t one to hurt a woman but I’d make an exception for these two.

I walked over to Mae who was still wheezing as she leaned against the wall. I wanted to make sure she was still alive to see what was happening.

“You still with us, Mae?” I asked as I lightly kicked her in her ribs, earning me a groan followed by a sob.

“Ah, you should try not to breathe so hard, your broken rib has punctured your lung. You should be more careful, Mae,” I said as I patted her on the head. She looked up at me with those wild frightened eyes and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Pl-please,” she begged. “I-I’m so-sorry.” Was she honestly trying to plead with me right now when she had the opportunity many times before now? I didn't give a f**k about her weak-ass apology.

“You’re not sorry. You just don’t want to die, but quite frankly I don’t give a f**k. You hurt her, all of you did and then you did it again and again with Goddess only knows how many other ones. The three of you will die here today and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it,” I said as I walked away from her and towards Beatrice who was praying to someone who couldn’t help her. I stood in front of her with my arms folded across my chest, staining my shirt with the blood on my hands.

“No one is coming to save you, Beatrice. This is my domain,” I said with a laugh. Even if this weren’t my home, who the f**k did she think would come to rescue her after what she’s done to someone of divine blood? Even if she hadn’t been a total waste of space, who would dare stand against me other than Eriana? If I decide someone is to die the only person who could challenge that, is her.

I wished Jordan wasn’t ignoring me so I could partially shift and he could enjoy the fun too. I know he’d love to get his claws on the people who hurt our mate. I tried to reach out to him to give him the chance, but he’d been radio silent since I hurt Eriana. I don’t know if he thought I meant to hurt her or what, but it pissed me off that everyone is abandoning me over a f*****g mistake.

I’m not like them! I’m nothing like them! I would rather die than see her hurt, especially at my hands! Why can’t anyone understand that?! I felt my temperature rise and my insides felt like I would be set ablaze any moment now. I needed some kind of release and I needed it now. I was still strong in my own right, I didn’t need Jordan.

I kneeled in front of Beatrice and placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on the side of her head and I pulled the two away from each other as hard as I could, but surprisingly it took no effort at all. Her head came off as smooth as cutting through warm butter. The blood splattered everywhere and splashed all over me. I was covered from head to toe in her blood and the warmth of it against my skin gave me a new wave of power. I probably looked like a crazy person to anyone else, but I didn’t care. I was in my element. I stalked over to Mae as squatted in front of her, taking in her old frail frame. I should feel bad about killing someone this weak, but she didn’t feel bad about not protecting the children she was supposed to, so oh f*****g well.

“Mae, Mae, Mae… what am I going to do with you? I could think of a thousand ways to kill you. Did you see how I literally just ripped her head off? I feel invincible right now. I could probably tear off all of your fingers and toes then all of your limbs, but you’d probably be dead before I even got to your arms,” I said with a sigh.

“Maybe I could just knick your carotid artery and let your already punctured lungs fill up with blood and watch you drown? Or I could slit your throat? So many options!”

I pulled out my pocket knife and opened it before running it across the skin on her cheek. I made sure to sharpen it as much as I could beforehand and with just the slightest bit of pressure I drew blood. I licked it off of the knife and her eyes went wide.

“Oh, I’m not a vampire, if that’s what you’re thinking but that is a good idea. I could hand you over to them,” I said as I tapped the knife against my chin. “But, that wouldn’t really be much fun for me. What do you think, Mae? How do you want to die today?”

She whimpered and struggled uncomfortably as she tried to put distance between us.

“Where are you going, Mae? Are you trying to leave me? That hurts my feelings,” I said as I grabbed her ankle, stopping her in her tracks. I dug my knife into her calf muscle and sliced as far up as I could go while she screamed at the top of her lungs. I did the same to the other leg and then her arms until I finally sliced her neck open.

I couldn’t be more proud of my handy work and as much as I enjoyed this feeling, I needed to find my mate.