Behind the Mask

31. Desert Night

Mel

After a warm shower, I laid on my bed. I was feeling even more tired than before, a hazy sensation was building up on the corners of my mind. All of a sudden, an icy shiver crept down my spine leaving a feeling of dread behind. 

I opened my eyes widely and gasped, my hands reached to my belly and I caressed it, noticing that the babies were moving restlessly. They could feel it too, something wasn’t right. 

I looked at the dreamcatcher, other amulets, and runes placed on the bedside table. They were enchanted by Avalon and carried powerful magic, hopefully enough to shield me from a curse of nightmares. 

My eyes closed by their own accord, my eyelids felt heavy and numb. 

A somber sound resonated in my ears, enveloping all my senses, my entire being.

Drums.

Quiet chanting. 

An unknown language that sounded as old as time. 

Shadows danced in front of my closed eyes. 

It was them, the triad. They came for me. 

I fell into a deep abyss in my mind, the drums and chanting were overwhelming; they were the only thing I could feel. 

I was caged in my mind. 

When I opened my eyes again, I could only see the dream-curse surrounding me. I was in a desert, a familiar desert that somehow represented all my fears and emptiness. I swallowed hard as the dry air touched my face, and the drum sound grew distant, becoming nothing more than background noise.

This was the same place I’ve roamed around in my most restless dreams, through the night.

I sat down and took a deep breath, fearing that this time my night wouldn’t ever end. 

~ * ~ 

Maximus

“Something is wrong with Melinda,” I told Lea as I let go of her and was about to flash away when her words stopped me. 

“Dad, I will go with you,” she said. 

“No, sweetie. I think it might be something related to the mages, go home and check on your baby and tell Liv to do the same. Stay safe, please,” I told her as I pressed a kiss on her forehead and flashed away. 

Even though my first instinct was to go to Melinda, it was hard to leave my little girl knowing that she could be in danger as well. 

I was worried about her, all of them, but what I felt for my Melinda was an overwhelming sensation, absolut fear was crushing my soul. My daughters had their mates and their Realms to protect them and their kids, they would be fine. 

When I arrived in our room, my gaze went to Melinda’s sleeping form. The air in the room was heavy, almost toxic with dark magic. I ran to her and took her in my arms, just like in the last time she was cursed, I could hear the ominous chant and the bloody drums. 

All spells and amulets from Elves, Wizards, and even Fae didn’t help my Honey. 

I wasn’t here with her, to help her or at least give her some comfort, and now she was once again lost in her mind. 

“We will find them, Honey. You and the babies will be safe and fine soon, I swear to you,” I told her, running my fingers through her damp hair. Her trembling lips let out small, almost imperceptible noises of discomfort. 

“You will be back soon, my beloved!” I exclaimed, pressing her body against mine gently. My hand roamed down to her swollen stomach, the babies were moving only slightly, they were surely affected by the curse as well. 

I took a deep breath and swallowed deeply, trying to keep my desperation in check. I couldn’t crumble, I couldn’t let fear and pain take over. 

Fear couldn’t be my guide anymore, as it had been for the past years. I had to be stronger and braver, for her and for our children. 

This time, I couldn’t let her down and I wouldn’t. 

We had to act now, hence I mind-linked Elric, “The Triad attacked Melinda, all amulets and dreamcatchers did nothing to protect her. Their power is increasing, growing within the movement of the stars, they will strike again soon. We have to protect Lea, Liv, and the babies and find a way to help Melinda. She is unconscious just like the last time they attacked her. Those cowards invaded her mind and trapped her there,” I burst without even stopping to catch a breath. 

“I will send Alba and Sienna there and see what they can do. I’m calling Valentin now, we have to make sure that Liv, Lea, and the kids are safe,” he replied, sounding restless, almost raspy. 

I snuggled her in my chest, hoping to bring her some comfort, while we waited for the Fairies to come. 

Hoping that she could feel it, feel my love, I muttered in her ear, “It doesn’t matter what it takes, it doesn’t matter what your decision will be, I will bring you back, Melinda. I will make sure you are happy with or without me, for you is what matters the most.”

~ * ~ 

Lea

We had all flashed home immediately to check on Alexander. To our great relief, he was sleeping in peace, snoring softly and cutely. None of us could feel any traces of dark magic around, so we knew for a fact that he was unaffected. 

I breathed deeply, nestling him against my chest as Alexus hugged me from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist and rubbing our baby’s back affectionately. 

Richard was also by my side, his attentive eyes on me and our baby. 

“He is completely fine, you have nothing to worry about,” my aunt Astoria said, placing a soothing hand on my shoulder and patting it very slightly. 

She and Luke were the ones babysitting and guarding him tonight. I only nodded, still consumed by worry, as my thoughts flew to Mom. I had to mind link Dad and ask how she was and if something happened to her. 

“Sunflower,” Valentin called me with a sigh as he entered the nursery, his face contorted with anxiety. 

“We will leave you alone,” Luke said and he and my aunt left the nursery. 

I spun around and gave Alexander to Alexus before I took a few steps closer to Valentin, my heart was clenching with dread as a shiver of panic ran down my spine. 

“The Triad attacked Mel and she is trapped in her mind, in her dreams. I will go to take a look at her later, but we must leave now,” he told me. 

“Leave?” I asked, confused. 

“Yes, to the Human Realm. It’s the only completely safe place for you and Alexander,” he added, caressing my face and letting his solar energy enter me and calm me down a bit. 

“I can’t leave, I can’t leave my mom behind,” I said half-absently, my gaze lost in space and my eyes filled with terrified tears. 

Valentin took my hand in his, grounding me a bit and dissolving part of the somber hazy that was overtaking my mind. 

“We have to take you and our baby to the Human Realm. In the realm with little magic, these monsters can’t reach you both, can’t hurt you,” Alexus remarked, his eyes filled with worry and fear. 

He cradled our sleeping baby in his arms, pressing Alexander’s little body against his chest protectively. 

“Just the most strong magic beings still have some power there. We would have powers, the three of us. These disgusting mages won’t,” Richard chimed in, lacing my waist with his arms and pressing me against his body. 

“No. We can’t leave mom and the twins. They would be unprotected, these horrible males could attack them, kill them.”

I was torn. I wanted to protect Alexander and take him to the safest place possible, but I couldn’t leave Mom and the Realms. 

“My angel, they don’t have to physically harm your mom to attack or harm them. It’s already happening Lea, their curse is already spread, their attack is already taking place. I’m so sorry. They will do all they can to save her, Alba, Sienna, and the other healers. But we have to protect you and the baby, take you from harm’s way,” Valentin said, cupping my face. 

“I can’t leave my realms, I’m the queen, the Luna.”

“You will be back as soon as we manage to eliminate them, Luna Mine. I’ll stay behind and fight them. You should go with Alexus and Valentin. They will protect you and our pup,” Richard’s voice was heavy,  saying his words cost him a great deal. 

His eyes were also shining slightly. I knew that it was very hard for him and Titan to be apart from me and from Alexander as well. But he was doing it for us, to keep us safe.

I sighed deeply as more tears formed in my eyes. I hated to leave Mom behind, we had to find a way to save her and the twins.

“We have to go, Baby. It’s the only way to fully protect you and our little one.” Alexus' eyes had a soft glow of a plea. He was afraid. Something rare to see in his look, unless it was about Alexander and me.

“Fine,” I sighed, moving my gaze down. Valentin wiped my tears away gently and kissed my cheek.

“We have to go now, Sunflower. We have no time to lose, Alexus’ dreamcatchers can’t protect you and our baby for much longer.”

My gaze ran to the two most powerful among Alexus’ dreamcatchers hanging close to Alexander’s crib.  They were from E. Divina, at least in some way she did her grandson good, even without intending to or knowing it. 

“What about Liv?” I asked as another wave of worry formed a knot in my stomach.

“Elric told me that they are planning to take her and the babies to the Human Realm too,” Valentin added to my relief.

I swallowed back the fear and anxiety and tried to get things ready. 

“I will get some clothes for Alexander,” I muttered, summoning many vines with a wave of my hand. The delicate green plants were all over the room. They opened one of my baby’s bags and started filling it with many clothes and diapers very fast. 

I looked down at our clothes, realising that my light golden ball gown and floating red cape along with my mates’ regal suits wouldn’t fit in the Human Realm.

I used a new spell that mom had taught me to change into one of my simple blue dresses with a snap of my fingers and did the same, helping my men to change into casual clothes. 

After the last little vine added a pair of little socks to the bag and closed it, I waved my hand again making them all retract and I spun around in Richard’s arms, pulling his head down to kiss his lips. 

I caressed his stubbled face and looked intently into his eyes, “Thank you for staying, my Wolf,” I muttered. 

“I will guard Mel, Luna Mine, and chase the monsters that dared to hurt her and tried to hurt you and our pup,” he vowed, kissing my lips once again. 

“We will be together again soon, I love you and Titan,” I told him, caressing his face. My heart clenched at being away from him, but it was the best thing to do. 

“We love you too, my Luna,” he replied, his voice guttural, combining man and wolf.  His eyes were gleaming, even more, another evidence that Titan was on the surface. 

I breathed deeply and swallowed the dam of tears that threatened to burst out of my eyes at any moment. Tears for my mom, my baby, my Wolf, Liv and her babies, and myself. 

“I will think about the city we should go to. There is a male Fae living there and he can help us to arrange accommodation faster,” Valentin told us, as he took Alexander’s bag. 

It was ironic, every time that I went to one of the places that fascinated me most, it involved sad, dreadful circumstances; my abduction, Nema’s rescue, and now this. 

One of my hands wrapped around my Sun as I have Alexus my other hand, I channeled their powers. Chanting a spell under my breath I opened a golden portal and we crossed it, arriving at the Realm of the Humans.