Shadow Demon: Book two of Unknown Hybrid series

Chapter seven

I was jolted awake by banging on my door. I grumbled angrily as I dragged myself out of the bed and over to the door. "What?" I screamed, flinging the door open. The tiny woman recolied at my tone, her eyes going wide. I closed my eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry." I said my tone still hard but gentle. Looking up to the woman I could tell she was still scared of me as she nodded. "You didn't wake up for dinner last night. I was sent to wake you for breakfast before your training begins." She said softly looking down at her hands as she fiddled with them. "Fine. Give me twenty minutes and come back." 

She nodded and all but ran back down the long hallway. I shook my head. I really needed to better control myself. Pushing all that from my mind I quickly made my way over to my bathroom and took a shower. I knew I would need another after training was over, but right now I needed to wake myself up and the water helped me do that. After I got done with my shower I dried off and I got dressed in black leggings and a black sports bra and pulled my long hair up into a high ponytail.

The tiny woman was outside my door waiting for me when I opened it and stepped out. I motioned her to lead the way, and she turned on her heels and rushed down the hall. Her short stature made it easy for me to keep up with her brisk pace. I'm assuming with her being so small she was use to walking fast in order to keep up with everyone else. The tiny woman amused me, she was no bigger than about four foot nine, her brown hair was cut into a short pixie cut and her heart shaped face held deep green eyes. She was small but she was beautiful. 

I could smell the delicious aroma of the food before we got to the kitchen. I pushed passed the woman following my nose the rest of the way. Not eating last night quickly caught up to me when the smell hit me and I was famished. 

As I burst through the door I sprinted up to the food and quickly filled my plate with bacon, eggs, sausage and pancakes. I was well aware people were staring at me with wide eyes as I pilled my plate high, but I didn't care. I was part werewolf, and we had a high metabolism to keep up with, which meant we had to eat a lot to keep up with the calories we burn by just breathing. That didn't count the calories we burned when we were training. 

I smiled at Adam as I took my seat beside him, ignoring the looks I was getting from around me. I didn't recognize a lot of the people. Anthos was there along with my mother, my uncle and grandparents but none of the others. 

I dove into my food as if were the first time I had eaten in days. To be honest, that's what it felt like. Before anyone else had even put a dent in their food I had finished mine and was filled to the brim. In hind sight it may not have been smart to eat so much before training, but this week was only mental training so how much harm could it do? 

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As Adam and I followed Anthos to where I could only assume would be where we would be training I tried to mind link Gabriel. I knew it was a long shot but I had to try. Taking a deep breath I searched my mind for Gabriel's presence. It was faint but there. I pushed my mind closer to his aura. "Gabriel? Can you hear me?" I asked hopefully. "Ariel? Ariel is that really you?" He asked with enthusiasm. I laughed. "Yes mylove it's me. How are you? How is everyone?" I asked. "Everyone is fine. We are still training. Trying to find any and every way we can to help you. Asmodeus is still traveling to find answers, Michael, Lucifer and I are training everyday.

Wait what? Every day? It's only been one day. "Gabriel what do you mean? It has only been one day." I told him, completely and utterly confused. "Ariel, it's been three days here." He informed me. "WHAT?!" I screamed. "So one day here is three days there? That's impossible." I thought aloud through our link. "I am so sorry Gabriel, I had no idea of the time difference." I heard Gabriel sigh deeply before he answered. "We knew it was a possibility Ariel. It's alright. I can't wait until you get home." I could feel tears threatening to fall, I fought hard to keep them at bay. "I love you Gabriel. Please tell the others I love and miss them and will see them soon." I waited for Gabriel to answer, completely saddened by the news I had just discovered. "I will my love. Take care." 

I cut the link before his voice caused the tears to fall. I missed them all so much it hurt. "We're here." Anthos said bluntly. I looked up to see that we were in some type of garden. Flowers and trees surrounded us. What I could only describe as fairies flew around us. "Where are we?" I asked. "This is the enchanted garden. The only place in this realm where fairies, whisps and other magical creatures live. They will help you in your journey to overcoming your fears and getting to know yourself on a deeper more profound level." 

I could only nod as we made our way to the center of the garden where a grand fountain stood. The water flowed out of the mouth of a woman as she stood with her head facing the sky and her arms spread out beside her. "Take a seat at the base of the fountain." Anthos instructed us. We did as we were told without hesitation. The sound of the water behind us already sending waves of calm throughout my body. 

As soon as I sat I closed my eyes and plunged into the depths of my mind. This time however I was not looking for my hidden power, I was looking for hidden fears, repressed memories, anything that was locked inside myself that I could bring to the surface and over come. 

I knew my basic fears, fears I always kept close to me, fears that drove me. That was my fear of losing those I loved. Michael, Gabriel, Asmodeus, Adam, my father. All the people in my life that I loved more than life itself. I would do anything to protect them, anything to keep them safe. 

As I dove deeper and deeper, I noticed the darkness consumed me slowly. Not my darkness, the darkness of my mind. Fear of failure, fear of never becoming a mother, fear of dying and leaving the people I loved behind. Fear of having a child and not being able to raise and be in their lives. More and more fears made themselves known as I continued my dive. The worst one of all, was the fear that my powers would consume me, taint me, turn me into a monster that would make me kill the people I love with my own hands. There was no way I could let that happen, should I ever feel my power start to take over, I will end my life myself. I would plunge my Angel blade through my heart. Never and I mean never will I be the cause my loved ones die. 

I emerged from my dive only to find I was in the garden alone. The moon hing high in the sky and stars shimmered around it. When I tried to get up my body was weak, fatigue and exhaustion slammed into me like a brick wall, knocking me back to the ground. The little movement mad me breath hard, like I had just finished the most intense and brutal training of my life. Every part of my body was in pain, my lungs burned with the gasping and hard breathing I was doing. My throat was so dry I couldn't even scream for help. What the hell was going on? What happened to me while I was exploring my mind? 

"Ariel?" Adam's voice was music to my ears. "A..Ad..Adam." I croaked. He rushed to my side and picked me up bridal style before rushing me into the house. Anthos, Nyx and Erebus were by my side within moments. "What happened to her?" Erebus asked, anger laced his voice as he turned on Anthos. Anthos shrunk back away from him. "She has been trapped in her mind for the past week. We tried but couldn't draw her out. She had to find a way to make it out herself, should she had been moved it would have been less likely she would be able to find her way back." Anthos explained. 

I had been on that damn mental journey for a week? An entire damn week? No wonder I was so weak. I hadn't eaten, slept, drank anything in a week. Erebus growled "Get her to the doctors. She needs fluids. Get someone to get her some soup, it will be too hard for her to eat solid food right now." He barked orders at everyone as we made our way to the doctor. I didn't remember much of it. The movement of being carried slowly lulling me into a much needed sleep. "Sleep now Ariel. I will not leave your side." Adam promised kissing my forehead. I smiled and snuggled deep into Adams chest, and fell asleep.