Chained Souls: Night Fourteen {Book Two of the Chained Duet}

**Katherynn** · 01-18-2012 09:57 PM

Night Fourteen

"That makes sense," Helios said , lifting Evie's hand by her wrist. "Everything you told me that they said is plausible. Now my only question is 'Why won't they talk?'"
"Tribute doesn't like you," Evie said blatantly. "He thinks you're like them. But I know you're different."
Helios dropped her hand as if he'd been burned and she moved it to rest on his leg.
"He thinks like all the others," she said as she straddled him, placing one hand on his chest while wrapping the other arm around his neck. "He thinks you think like them. "
She slid her hand down his chest slowly before she was plucked off him effortlessly.
"I think you need to sit and be a good girl," Tribute said with a sigh. "Right, Evie, Lust?"
Evie crossed her arms, pouting.
Tribute had wrapped and arm around her waist and she was currently dangling like a rag doll. It made her appear smaller than she actaually was.
"Yes," she mumbled. "You're so mean, Tribute! You spolied my fun!!"
"Your fun involves tying them up and performing not-so-nice antics on them," he shot back.
"As if you'd know!! You like to play in blood all day!!"
"Leave blood out of this!"
"You just don't know a woman's touch," she said, sashaying her way to stand by Death. She wrapped her arms around his waist before continuing. "He knows—don't you Tali-wali-sen?"
"Evie," he said gently, his voice authorative as he removed her arms from around his waist. "I think it's time to calm down. We need to get you and Tribute out of here.
"Death is right. We're going to have to get them out of here," Helios said calmly. "Before the nurses come back."
"But Pandora can barely move!" Pain growled. "Moving her really isn't an option!"
The energy between Pain and Helios was almost palpable and I decided to comment before they fully attacked each other.
"I'll figure out how to get out of here—we need to get the twins out fast...and clothed. Death, could you get them back to my house?"
He nodded and towed Evie to Tribute before disappearing out the window. I knew they would be safe with him.
"Helios," I said calmly. "Can I rely on you to erase any and all record of my being here and the twins births? We can edit a birth certificate later if the need arises."
Helios left the room and I turned to Pain. I didn't even have to say a word before he was walking over to me and lifting me into his arms.
"Take me back to my house," I said gently. "We can figure things out there."
Pain nodded and, in practically the next moment, we were at my home.
"Get out of here!!" Tribute yelled once Pain and I landed. "Hurry—"
"Oh, Pandora, how nice to see you again," a familiar voice said, hinting at sarcasm.
As I shoved away from Pain I locked gazes with cold eyes, a fight both in my voice and my eyes as I spoke.
"Selene," I growled. "What do you want?"
She jerked someone forward and I heard a high pitched cry that made my heart plummet.
"Mom!!" Evie cried, fighting against Selene. "Let go of me you goddess-witch!!"
"Watch your tongue," she hissed, slapping Evie's face.
"What do you want with her?!" I yelled, reaching for my daughter. "Let her go and I'll do as you ask!! I'll do anything!!"
Selene raised an eyebrow, grinning, as she thought of something I knew would be horrendous.
"Take him," she said, motioning to Death had been thrown against a wall. "Take the evil from him."
My gaze met his and I paled as I realized what she wanted.
Death's clothes were torn and he was bleeding. He'd been obviously jumped and that was why he'd been unable to protect the twins.
"But...if I do that..."
"Talisen Oullette will die," she said matter-of-factly. "Precisely."
"Death..."
"Go ahead, Pandora," he said weakly. "We knew this was going to happen eventually. Just not this soon. It'll be alright. I'll be fine."
I knew he was lying.
"Pandora, do it," Pain said sadly. "For the twins—for all of us."
Tears filled my eyes as I staggered over to him, kneeling once I reached him.
"Don't worry about me," he said with a rare smile. "I'm glad I was able to meet you. Able to...be...near you."
He was growing weaker and I knew that if I took the evil from him now there was no doubt that he would die.
"But what about Cult?" I whispered, using Doubt's real name. "And Signit? What about everything you've fought for? Dying will be in vain if you die now!"
"Pandora," he said quietly. "It has all been worth it. All of it. Just do this. It is the right thing to do."
"I love you," I said as the tears fell.
He smiled gently and closed his eyes.
"I know," he murmured. "I love you. Always. Even in death."
A choked sob escaped me and I heard people behind me say something unintelligible as I leaned forward to kiss him.
I felt the familiar pulse of the evil entering me as Death—no, as Talisen grew colder and colder. When the pulsing stopped, I pulled away.
Talisen's eyes were closed and his hair had faded back to it's original silver color. His skin was paler with death but a smile held on his pale lips.
I stood and turned to face Selene, tears streaking my face. The look of sheer disbelief on her face told me she didn't think I would do it.
"Get the Hell out of my house," I said coldly, glaring at her. "Let my daughter go and leave before I kill you myself and skin you. Then again, I'd leave you to the other gods and goddesses. Wouldn't they like to play with a traitor."
She shoved Evie away and paled further as she retreated. She didn't even bother with a final threat.
The moment I knew she was gone I collapsed.
I screamed and cried. I fell to the floor and fell apart. Even when Pain and Helios—who'd arrived sometime through the whole ordeal—tried to soothe me.
Even when Evie and Tribute tried to help me.
What I said or screamed was beyond me. All I heard was noise and Talisen's final words to me playing over and over in my head, effectively slicing another wound into my heart.
I looked up and crawled over to Death, pulling his head to my chest as I sobbed apology after apology to him, begging for his forgiveness. Begging for him to come back to me.
But I knew it wasn't possible. Even I couldn't bring someone back to life.
That was when I felt it—the slight movement.
"Pan...dora."