The New World

I stared at him for a few moments before I blinked in pure rage. He wasn’t king yet and he wasn’t going to get to pull that card. This was all of us working together to find answers and even if he didn’t like it, this was the best answer at the moment.

“You don’t get to say that,” I told him, my eyes getting darker.

“My job is to protect, to lead and to fight and right now I’m protecting.”

“You make it sound like that’s not my job either Grayson! Or did you forget that I’m meant to help you with all of this??” I knew my own anger was rising and in the months that we had been together, this was probably our first fight, and it wasn’t even about our relationship!

“I know what you are Fire, I also think you might be too quick to jump into things without looking at every option first.” I felt the blow in ways that I was sure he didn’t mean but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. He saw the blow and tired to apologize but I held my hand up. Right now was not the time and in front of everyone was not the place.

“I know you think that we didn’t think about this Grayson, but that’s not true. We spent hours going over this and the logs as well; we went back and forth on it. Fire knew what she was talking about when she talked about it and about laying it out for all of you. She knew you would be quick to oppose this but both her and I still feel that this is the only way,” Derrick said and I was so thankful to have him stand behind me.

“You said you need everyone?” Dylan asked, looking between Derrick and myself. “What exactly do you need? I’m gathering it’s just more than this rock.”

“Yes Dylan it’s more. It’s at least one of us beings going to the dark side to gather what we need to stop them.”

“And why the fuck would you think this would work?” I flinched from the tone in Grayson’s voice, never having heard it. Yes, he would make a great king and he had the authority and power behind him for it as well.

“Because I believe Demonio himself comes from the dark plane,” I told him and I watched as his eyes darkened and saw as the claws started to emerge; Midnight was on the brink of coming out and it almost felt like he was coming after me. Now, I wasn’t scared of wolves but the thought of my beloved being that upset with me was not something I liked.

“Grayson,” Anna called him, but he wasn’t backing down. “Midnight,” she called and then stood up and lightly grabbed his arm. I saw the change and I fought hard to swallow my hurt at that. He was mad at me and it took someone else to calm him down, yeah that one cut deep.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I said and quickly left the room and ran to my office. I needed a moment to compose myself after that. I sat down on the couch and crossed my arms, staring at the floor for I don’t even know how long. I just know I was hurt and confused and needed to get away from there.

“Fire?” I heard the voice but I didn’t look at him; I couldn’t. I mean, I know he was going to be mad, hell I was even expecting everyone to yell and have a say in it but I could never have seen that scene play out. He kneeled before me and tried to reach for my hand but I quickly jerked away. “Yeah, I guess I deserve that.”

“You guess?” I asked as I finally looked up at him and shook my head. “There is no guessing Grayson. Look, I get you were mad but Midnight was coming out, and it was directed at me! How was that okay? And then in the midst of your anger it’s not your mate that calms you, it’s another female!”

“Anna is…” My eyes flashed before him and he quickly got the message.

“I get that she isn’t into you but it still fucking hurt and you seem to have a hell of a time understanding that.”

“No, I don’t, I get it. But there was no way you were going to get close to me when Midnight, and myself, were that upset with you.” I quickly stood up, pushing him away. And as I paced to the other side of the room, I could feel my nails digging into my palms and I felt the warm liquid but I just couldn’t care. “Fire, your hands…”

“I know Grayson but I need the distraction because I’m so angry I could throw you out the window right now.”

“Because Midnight was upset with the thought of you going to a dark place?” Within a blink of an eye I had Grayson pressed up against the opposite wall, my eyes a raging inferno.

“I love you and I love Midnight but you seem to have forgotten what I am and WHO I am. I may not have your fucking strength but I’m faster than you will ever be, and that’s in wolf form too. I have many centuries on you so please don’t think I was some vampire created yesterday who knows nothing about this world.

“And just so you know, I have spent many of my years in that dark place and have made it out okay. So maybe next time you should ask before you jump to conclusions and think I don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“I’m sorry.” He held up his hands and I let him go, knowing that at any point he could have pushed me off but he hadn’t. “I know that place too and I’ve watched friends go there and then never turn back. And I wasn’t a fool enough to think you hadn’t been there, I just thought…I don’t know, I just didn’t want you to going there.” He finally backed off the wall and I knew my own eyes had died down with their intensity and I know he saw that for he wrapped his arms around me. “And I’m sorry because there was not the place for me to unleash and Anna scolded me for that.”

“I need to thank her; she took care of you when I couldn’t.”

“Anna has been that way for me for years actually. I really do hope that one day we can all sit down and she can give you all the wild stories you crave, because about me, she has some.” I tried not to give into the jealous feeling that those thoughts stirred but I knew that I couldn’t deny them. There was a life before me and there were people special to him before me, and I had to remember that.

“I would like to get to know Grayson before I meet him.” He pulled back and cupped my cheek.

“Are you sure because you don’t sound like you really want to know.”

“I do but it’s still hard to swallow. You have such great memories and awesome friends and getting into that who knows what is a little hard.”

“Hey, you have how many hundreds of years on me and you don’t think I get jealous here?” He kissed my forehead and I had to smile. “I think there is a lot in this relationship that we have to be mindful of. I know it doesn’t seem like it given everything that’s been going on, but you and I, Fire, we are still getting to know each other.” I looked up at him and had to agree, we were. And there were going to be more times that we were going to piss each other off; after all, there were still many years that lay before us.

“Okay, now that you two are cozy again.” I jumped and spun around to face the doorway, my eyes opening wide. “What? You needed me.”

“To what purpose, dad?” Sol laughed and stepped in the room, sitting on the couch.

“Funny, Fire, funny.” He leaned back and then glanced between both Grayson and myself. “You won’t find any words to translate this, so I figured you needed a hand. Us Gods come from different planes, realms even. As you know, Demonio is my brother, but none of the Goddesses are related.

“In an odd way, I guess Greek mythology takes something from us. Zeus is the God of the Heavens while Hades was cast below to hell, right?” I couldn’t help but nod at that. “My realm is space, or above, which would make Demonio and his realm below, or even a type of hell.”

“A dark place,” Grayson answered.

“The dark place, actually. So, Fire, was right when she talked about all of you having to come together to get what you need; which was smart because that was never said. And like I said, there’s no real way to translate it, but it’s in the book.” I looked at Grayson who only smiled. “But Grayson, was right too Fire.”

“How so?” I asked.

“Demonio knows about you, which means you can’t go to his realm to get what you need. Besides that, it really is too dangerous for you and could put a taint on your reign. Which also goes for you Grayson, you can’t go. And though you don’t like it Fire, Grayson is, or well will be, King. Yes, you are a team and yes you were both created to do this, but there was a reason we made him the wolf and you the vampire. You both have the power to lead, but he was born of an Alpha so therefore he has the power to command.” I sucked in a sharp breath and then glared at Grayson, although his face had no hint of gloating.

“I would never command you to do something you wanted, or not wanted, unless I felt you were putting yourself needlessly in harm’s way.” His hand brushed my hair back and I slowly grinned. I knew that, but that didn’t mean I was happy. I mean, I was always in charge, never answered to anyone and yet, here it was, I was answering to my beloved, who was a wolf.

“I know Grayson, but it’s still not easy to deal with, and you would know that.”

“I do Fire.” He kissed the tip of my nose.

“Excuse me…holy shit!” I turned to the door, smiling as I saw Derrick there who was staring at Sol.