Shadow Demon: Book two of Unknown Hybrid series

Chapter three

My fathers eyes about popped out of his head they went so wide, and the plates he was holding fell to the ground shattering into a thousand pieces. He was shook, frozen by shock. He quickly recovered however shaking his head and looking to me with new calm. "You know who your mother is." He said nonchalantly as he cleaned the shattered porcelain. 

Something came over me and I lifted my hands, effectively freezing my father in place. "Who is my mother?" I asked again. He sighed dramatically. "Amara is your mother, you know this Ariel." His voice was strained as he spoke. "Tell the truth." I demanded. "Do you really think I wouldn't find out?" I asked. His eyes went wide as he looked at me now. "No, there is no way you could know the truth." He said under his breath. Thanks to my heightened hearing I heard every word. "Tell me, why does Amara look like me if she is not my mother?" 

"Can you release me so we can talk about this?" He asked, his voice hard. I did as he asked but stayed where I was, not moving to join him as he sat down. "Amara looks so much like you because I made her that way. She wears contacts that change her eyes from green to silver. I instructed her to wear them at all times just in case you ever showed up to meet her. She dyes her hair to the same color as yours to also help keep up appearances. As for the facial structure, I searched and searched until I found someone almost identical to your biological mothers. It just so happens the werewolf queen was that person."

I was silently praying it wasn't true, that Erebus was making some kind of mistake. But what my father said, what he confirmed, caused all breath to leave my body. I went limp and swayed on my feet. Before I hit the ground a pair of strong arms caught me. When I looked up, I was looking up into Erebus's golden eyes. I smiled in thanks as he picked me up and placed me on a nearby chair. He looked at my father with pure malice as he stood by my side. My father on the other hand regarded Erebus with shock and astonishment. 

"What are you doing here?" Now his voice cam out tight, guarded his eyes flickering back and forth between me and Erebus. Erebus stepped in front of me crossing his arms over his chest. "I am here to find and retrieve the child of my sister, the goddess Nyx. Her child was stolen from her shortly after birth. Her lover it just so happens was you Lucifer." He stated matter a factly. 

I felt my fathers anger rise just as I heard the legs of the chair slide harshly across the floor. I shot out of my seat and placed myself in front of Erebus and faced my father head on. "No!" I shouted. Shadows and light burst out of me with so much force everyone except Erebus was thrown several feet back. "No father. You have lied to me my entire life, no more." 

My anger kept rising, the depth of the betrayal seering every nerve in my body, making me feel as if fire burned through me, but there was no pain. In my anger, more and more shadows poured out of me, filling the room with shadows that were laced with my betrayal, with my pain, my fear, my anger. They pulsed around us as they grew more dense. Even though my emotions were mingled with the shadows I still felt everyone else's fear, their shock. I could feel everything. Where everyone was, what they were doing, how they were reacting. 

The only one staying even somewhat calm was Erebus, but even he was shocked at the sheer amount of my power. Hell, if I was being honest, I was shocked. I was even more shocked as they kept growing stronger and wafting off of me in never ending waves. I wasn't even sure if I could stop them at this point, not that I wanted to. I wanted my dad to suffer, not hurt him but suffer. Let him be in the dark like he has kept me in the last twenty odd years, let him wade around and fight the way I had to. 

With every memory, every hardship I have had to face on my own, without help from my father, without him even being present or aware of what I went through my anger rose even more. My light grew brighter, intertwining with my shadows. It looked as if golden smoke was racing through the shadows in waves. I heard windows shatter and screams erupt. 

I startled when a soft hand landed on my shoulder. "Shh. Now child, calm down." The woman's voice was soft and soothing. Her touch soothing my soul and my power. My power responded to her touch as if they knew her. They rippled and pulsed with excitement as they receded back to me and swirled around the two of us, encasing us in a typhoon of light and shadows. The woman laughed lightly, the sound was like melodious and whimsical. 

When my powers were completely back to me I turned to see, me? Did someone put a mirror in the room while my powers were going haywire? No, they couldn't have. My mirror image was smiling a gently at me. She slowly reached her hand up and softly caressed my face. My eyes widened when a warmth spread through me at her touch. I remembered this feeling, faintly but it was there. "Nyx? mom?" I whispered. 

The woman's eyes brightened and the silver swirled, as her smile widened. She pulled me into her arms, holding me tightly. "Oh, my beautiful daughter, I am so sorry for not being there for you. But I am so profoundly happy to have you back." I wrapped my arms around her without another thought. I held her close to me as I latched my fingers into her clothes. 

She pulled away from me and gently pushed my hair behind my ears and wiped the tears off my cheeks. "My dear child, the trials you have been through have made you strong. You have grown up to be a beautiful young woman. I am so proud of you." She turned to my mates and looked them over. "You have a very odd set of mates dear Ariel. Did you choose them or were they chosen for you?" She asked, never looking away from them. Each of them were nervous, looking at their feet. 

"I like to think a bit of both. There was an immediate connection when I met them, I won't lie. But I made them work for it for a bit. Adam however is not my mate, but my sworn warrior. And I have three fae companions." I told her proudly. "Ah, yes. The two dragons and the gryphon. You are indeed powerful to be able to obtain the companionship of the dragons, They are ancient beings, outliving the few companions they have chose. You though, you, they will live a long and happily with you. With all of you being immortal I am immensely curious to see the long life you all will live. You though." She said turning to Gabriel. "How do you feel that Ariel will long out live you, your children, your children's children?" She was curt, though something told me she didn't mean to be.

Gabriel looked over to me, pain in his eyes. I couldn't bare it. I walked over to him and pulled him into a tight hug. "It's alright Gabriel. She doesn't mean to be so crude. You have to remember she is a goddess and has been around for a long time." I whispered in his ear. He nodded as he pulled away and kissed me. Turning to Nyx, my mother he sighed. "Do I like the idea that I will grow old while Ariel stays young and beautiful? Yes I am, but not for the reasons you may think. I am upset by the fact that after I die she will have to live on without me. She reacted badly to just Adam, her guardian dying, I am scared of how she will be when I die, even of natural causes. She barely handled Adam, how would she react if one of her mates die?" 

He had a good point, one I never thought of. How would I react? Could I live without Gabriel? Would I be able to move on from his death? I tightened my grip on his hand as the possibilities rushed through my mind. A life without him? Not just a life but several lifetimes? No, no I couldn't do that. I shook my head, my grip tightening even more until I felt the bones grind under my grip. Gabriel sucked air sharply through his teeth bringing me back to the present. I released my hand from his apologizing softly. 

Nyx, saw my reaction and smiled gently. "Don't worry child. If he can prove himself loyal to you, prove he will never harm you and always protect you and always stay by your side, then we can grant him the gift of immortality." 

My spirits instantly brightened as I hugged her tight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I said enthusiastically. She patted my cheek and finally turned to my father, who was staring at her with longing and love. "Nyx, I.." Nyx cut him off raising her hand. "No Lucifer. I don't want to hear your excuses or your lies. You stole my daughter before I even got to hold her. You hid her in Hell for ten years making me believe she was dead. That is until she started tapping into her power and I felt her immortal energy. You will not keep me from her now. She is in danger, a danger that never should have befallen her. Should she be in my realm where she belongs none of this would ever have happened."

Her tone was clipped and hard. Her silver eyes swirled and glowed like molten hot silver. Erebus stepped beside her, arms crossed over his chest. His posture was rigid, his face emotionless and stoic. He was angry. I stepped in between them. "No, dad should not have stolen me away, but he did and there is nothing we can do about it now. I know you both are upset and angry, so am I. I grew up believing my mother was someone other than you. Now is the time to forgive and forget, I do not want any of you hurt. Especially you two." I said turning to Nyx and Erebus. "I just got you back, I will not lose you again. Not before we can properly get to know one another." 

They all nodded and I didn't miss the hurt look in my fathers eyes. I heaved a deep breath. "No, dad. I don't want you hurt either. But Nyx is my mother and Erebus is my uncle. I have a family, grandparents I never knew existed. I want to get to know them and I don't need your permission to do that." Dad nodded and hesitantly sat back down, never taking his eyes off Nyx. I wondered if there was still a flame there. I looked to Nyx and saw a flicker of something but it was so brief I wondered if I had imagined it. 

Everyone sat around the large table, eyes flicked between each other never resting on one specific person. This was the most awkward situation I have ever been in, and if I wanted to be honest, the conversation we were about to have would top this awkward silence. 

As I looked over to Nyx, she was calm, cool and collected. She sat upright and was looking between me and my mates one by one. She scrutinized Asmodeus and it made me annoyed. Yes, he was a demon. So what who cared? "Ok, this has to stop." I finally said breaking the silence. Everyone turned to me. "Whatever this is, whatever we are going to do, needs to be discussed now." 

Nyx and Erebus nodded. "Ariel, we want to bring you back to our realm to train you. You can't stay long, we cannot risk the Shadow Demon following you to our realm. It is a realm of peace, no harm can come to it. Kaos and Gaia will be there to help in training you." My body stiffened. Kaos and Gaia? My grandparents? I was jittery with excitement. Yes, I wanted to go, I want to meet my family. "What do you think Ariel?" My father asked calmly. I stood, determination and need filled every fiber of my being. "I'm going."