Shadow Demon: Book two of Unknown Hybrid series

Chapter Fourteen

Days turned into weeks as I pushed myself to my breaking point training and preparing for the next attack. Any attack. Because apparently the shadow demon wasn't below using those weaker than him to do his bidding. The coward would rather others take the brunt of my wrath than take it himself. If this creature was so powerful then he should come after me head on. Not go after my family. Family was the only thing in my life that actually meant something to me, that I would protect with my life. And this vile creature knew that and was using them against me like pawns in some sick game of chess. I couldn't allow it to happen again. Not now, not ever. 

The guys were training to though. They were embarrassed that someone had gotten the jump on them and was able to take them. I knew the whole torture thing still bothered them. I saw how their faces were now grim and hard. Their eyes guarded and muscles tense. I watched as their eyes shifted from place to place scanning every inch of a room before entering all the way. The toll it was taking on them was heartbreaking and I hated seeing them so uncomfortable, so uneasy in their own home. 

But it didn't matter where they were, they were always on guard. The slightest sound that didn't belong, even if it was a twig snapping in the woods somewhere set them off. More than once Gabriel had come back with a carcass of some animal he had killed because of a sound from the trees. The wolf in him was going feral, it's fear and urge to protect its human taking precedence over everything else. I was getting worried about him. Was terrified that one day soon his wolf will have enough and take over completely and not let us have Gabriel back. 

Asmodeus was getting angry. Going back to how he was before he met me, before we mated. He was distant and cold. He kept to himself barely allowing me to touch him or even be near him. He would go incorporeal so I couldn't see him, couldn't feel him. Asking Asmodeus to stay, to stop running away was like asking the sun not to rise. Asking the stars not to shine. He was pulling away and I feared I would never get him back again. 

Michael, well Michael has become depressed. While like the others he was on guard, always scanning, always searching, he didn't do much else. I never saw him training anymore. He just stared blankly into nothing. I couldn't see any signs of life in him anymore. He moved mechanically like he was programmed to make the movements he was. Whenever I went to him, tried to talk to him or support him he would growl at me and take off into the sky running from me. 

My father. Well, I haven't seen my father in over a week. He has completely taken himself out of my life again. He doesn't call, he doesn't visit. And he will not answer any of my calls or messages. I can't count how many I've left for him begging him to come home. Telling him I needed him. I knew my fathers anger was deadly, could destroy entire kingdoms. But I needed him now more than ever. No I didn't want him destroying anything, that's the last thing I want. What I did want was for him to let me help him. To be there for him like I was trying so hard to do for everyone else. 

Adam was really the only one who stayed by me. Who would train with me, keep me company. Athena, Helios and Ares were also there. But they were different. All of them were. Adam was my guardian my protector and best friend. Athena, Helios and Ares were my fae companions. Always there for me, always protecting and guarding me. And I loved all of them. I loved them for trying to keep me company,  trying to lift my spirits even though I knew it was useless without my men and my father. 

I missed them. I missed all four of them more than I could ever describe. I knew I needed to give them space, to let them have time to heal from everything that happened. But how much time was appropriate? How much time did I need to give them before I started pushing. Started showing them how they've been acting. When I first recused them everything was great. We weren't exactly back to normal, but we were together. The guys soaked in my attention, allowed me to be there for them and support them. They allowed me to touch them, kiss them and hug them until they were calm. 

I knew though the nightmares had gotten worse for them. Progressively becoming more and more unbearable. They were always tired. Black circled their bloodshot eyes. I wanted to help them. I wanted to stop the nightmares and let them rest. I wanted them to have a good nights sleep. Even if they didn't allow me near them I wanted to help. Maybe when they sleep I could heal them? Maybe I could heal the nightmares away. I didn't know if it was possible, but ti was worth a shot to try. I mean what harm could it do? They were already on a path that could kill them, kill me. 

That night, they didn't eat dinner, but went straight to bed. That was normal for them though. They barely ate these days and it was showing. They've lost a lot of weight. I waited a few hours before going to them, giving them the chance to get to sleep. They didn't sleep with me anymore. All of them taking their own separate rooms, which honestly hurt even more but what could I do? 

First I went to Michael. Out of all of them he seemed to be taking this the hardest. And I guess I can understand why. He is an archangel and was still unable to stop what happened. But he has to know he can't stop everything, can't protect everyone. As I crept my way through the room, I made my way to his bedside. Tears stung the back of my eyes as I looked down at his pained look. 

He was all but curled in on himself. His brows pinched together and his eyes squeezed shut. His lips were in a thin line and it looked like he was biting his tongue hard enough to bit through it. His hands were fisted in the sheets and his body trembled. Pained grunts sounded from him as tremors rocketed through his body. My poor archangel. He was in so much pain. 

Slowly and tentatively lifted my hands and placed them above his head without touch him, and let my healing power sweep over him. It caressed him like a loved one, seeping into his head like water to a sponge. I allowed it to keep going until his body relaxed. A relieved sigh spilled from his lips as he stretched his body to its max and a tiny smile graced his lips fort he first time in weeks. Feeling like I'd helped him, I quietly crept from his room and into Asmodeus's. 

Asmodues was much like Michael was. A pained expression on his beautiful face. His body flickered back and forth from corporal and his shadow from like an old TV show. He was balled into the fetal position, his hands fisted into his hair painfully. Shadows danced around him, reaching out to me. I urged them away not wanting the angelic light to hit them, before again calling on my healing power for him. He gasped a look of utter peace spilling over his features before his body relaxed. 

Next was Gabriel. It would be much harder to sneak into his room because of his wolf. I called on my shadows to conceal me before moving into his room. On his bed he lay in wolf form. His massive body curled up and trembling. Whines fell from the beasts throat making my heart skip. I didn't waste anytime placing my healing touch over him. His beast was becoming more and more potent, more feral with each passing day. 

The healing washed over Gabriel like a warm blanket, completely encompassing him. He must have needed more healing than I thought. My power just kept coming and coming, seeping into him as if it were his life blood. I could feel myself becoming more and more drained as my power left me. Fatigue washed over me threatening to buckle my knees but I held firm. Sweat beaded on my brow and my breath started coming in shallow gasps. The last thing I remember before the dark consumed me was Gabriel's black wolf lifting its head to look at me.