Underrhelm

Chapter 15

VALENTINE

A week had passed since Nyx's party. Business had gone back to usual, busier even. The clients seemed to enjoy the themed nights. Ember and Dacri came back which Quinn was thrilled about. She was coming out of her shell. She calls everyone her brother or sister, apart from Ember who became mama. She even took over Nyx's old room. Rayna decided not to hire another escort so she didn't have to give her room away. Rayna has a strict policy that all s*x workers live at Umbra for protection.

I hadn't had time to talk to Ray about what I really wanted. She got better and better about creating space between us. Just then Kiva walked in. I waited patiently to see Ray, but she didn't show. 5 minutes, 10 minutes passed and I became worried. I rushed over to Kiva before the group meeting and frantically asked, "Kiva where is the boss?"

"She decided to take a day off. She is fine and should be back tomorrow or the following day." She replied some what rehearsed.

I knew she wasn't okay. Rayna never took a day off if we were open. She always had to be in control.

"I need to make sure she is alright." I shouted in my head. If I can just see her, I can get back to work. I waited till Kiva went downstairs and booked it to the door. I paused at the bar and yelled, "Darci I am stepping out for a minute. Cover me?" He looked at me, smiled and said, "Alright, tell the boss I said hello."

I blushed as I flew as fast as I could to the apartment. I entered the elevator and as I set on foot on her floor, I fell to my knees. There was an incredible pressure wrapping itself around me. As I tried to stand Ray's door opened and closed in a flash and there stood a demon so tall. He almost hit the ceiling and was thick with muscle. He was completely nude and I was frozen. I was caught in a hail storm of conclusions, none of them good.

In half a breath he was barreling towards me and growling, "Lover boy." As his massive body collided into me I made the connection. This was Ed's body form. "What the hell are you doing Ed?!" I yelled, "I just want to make sure she's okay!" I crawled over his back and made a dash for the door. His fingers wrapped around my head as he chucked me down the hallway. We both stood facing each other and then charged. We crashed into each other, the force blasting open Ray's door.

Edgar paused at the open door way. I shakily rested on my knees cursing under my breath, "Feather brained asshole!" When my eyes adjusted, I saw something I couldn't quite comprehend. Everything in her apartment was broken and shattered around her. She was standing in the living room staring at me, completely unhinged. She had blood dripping from her limbs. I looked in her eyes and was only met with pain and torment.

My tears scorched scars in my cheeks and they fell from my eyes.

"What happened to you, who did this to you?" I whispered. She screamed at me and I leaped forward. I wrapped my arms around her in a vice grip. She bucked and flailed screaming, "Not you! You're no supposed know! You're not supposed to see!"

"What the f**k are you talking about Ray, let me help you!" I panicked. Her skin was so hot it burned holes in my shirt and my arms. I turned my head and placed my cheek on her back. I closed my eyes pleading for my Rayna to come back. Then my gazed met his. My heart sank and my body went limp. It was the only thing still intact. A framed picture of a youngling that looked like Rayna.

She slipped through my fingers and collided with the glass patio door, fleeing from me. I couldn't hold it in anymore and I began to sob. With gasping breath I told Ed to go after her so she wasn't alone or got hurt. He took off from the whole she left behind. I didn't know what to do or how to fix it. I called the only person I could think of for help.

"Where the hell are you?! You're supposed to be helping me while the boss is out!" she shouted. All I could muster in response was,

"I didn't know. She's gone." She hung up on me and I collapsed on the floor trying to understand the pain that filled this room. After a few moments I managed to get to my feet and lean on the broken door, searching for Rayna. Kiva arrived out of breath but still had enough to charge me.

"You're so selfish!" she screaming as her fist made contact with my jaw. She began hitting me anywhere she could. I tackled her and held her down. "How could you?" she cried. My tears fell on her face from above and mixed with hers as I pleaded, "How could you leave her alone?!." She sat up and hugged me.

After a deep breath I pulled away and demanded, "Tell me everything. You have to tell me everything." She hung her head before standing and gesturing that we sit on the couch. I sat next to her afraid of what she would tell me, but needing to know anyway.

"100 years ago, before Umbra or before any of us knew her, Ray was a different person. She had a family. Her mate and," she paused. "And a child. His name was Giran. One day Giran and Rayna were walking her mate to work. She turned away to kiss him goodbye and Giran slipped her grasp. He wondered not even a foot away into the road when a rogue demon snatched him." she said as I hung on to every word.

"Rayna in all her fury hunted the demon down, but when she caught up it was too late. Giran had been massacred. Demons don't become immortal until adulthood. Rayna slaughtered the demon but it didn't do anything to ease the pain. So she went to Lucifer requesting to be terminated." she said almost whimpering.

I felt my heart strings snap at the thought of her ending her life.

"He denied her and instead used her pain for his own personal crusade. He gave her a job hunting down rogue demons. For the next 50 years she was feared by many and respected by most." she said with a smile. "Then one day, when she was strong enough to walk away, she came to Lucifer with a different idea. One that would make money and less rogue demons. Thus Umbra was born and many followed after it." she added.

"Today's the anniversary isn't it?" I asked already knowing the answer. She didn't respond, but I knew. "Let's get this place cleaned up before Ed brings her back." I suggested.

"Wait, there is something else you need to know." she stated ominously.

"She didn't want you to know, you especially. She didn't want you to know she failed to protect someone so close to her, apart of her even. She is haunted by his ghost every time she closes her eyes, and when she isn't she feels even worse. Somehow if she forgets the pain, she forgets him in her mind. She wants to suffer everyday until the bitter end." she sighed.

"Well that's f*****g stupid!" I shouted, startling her. "It wasn't her fault. I doubt very much that her son would want to be remembered with pain and suffering." I added.

"This is something none of us can understand. It's easy from the outside to judge what someone else is going through. It's easy to say you would act differently without going through it too." she replied. "It's why she can't love you V. She doesn't love herself anymore and hasn't for a long time. She built a colossal wall around herself. I didn't leave her alone, I offered to be with her." she stated before standing and collecting debris.

I stared at the ground trying to decide what to say or do now. I started to assist Kiva in cleaning up. Then we both shut the door to her prison and left without saying another word.