Taming Her Beastly Mate

The shrieks hovered in their place, swaying side to side. They looked conflicted. As if their will was to flee but they were being forced to stay. An eerie silence came over all of them for just a moment. Then, like an eruption of coyote howls, they started. High pitched screams began to ripple into the air. These were creatures that none of them could face, except for Sion.

These spirits couldn’t hurt Sion, but the numbers were much greater than he anticipated. It wasn’t the hundreds that he had anticipated… they were in the thousands. A phenomenon that couldn’t have happened on its own. Even with the wars, something had prevented these spirits from moving on. Something… or someone. Was this the work of the nycrops, Meryl, again? And for what purpose?

Aiden shifted his body so that Diana was more behind him as Kurt and Jamie came in front of both of them. He had tried to outrun the shrieks before and knew it was pointless. Especially being surrounded. He looked at his two officers in front of him and shook his head.

“Stand behind me, you two!” Aiden ordered as the two men turned with smiles.

“Our job is always protecting the two of you… it is our burden to bear,” Kurt said with a wink, as Jamie shrugged.

“Can’t let anything happen to our prince and princess, now can we? Better us than either of you.” Jamie looked at Diana’s horrified eyes and he tilted his head to the side. “Don’t worry. It isn’t our plan to die today. This is just as a precaution.”

Black energy wisped around Sion (Anubis) as he waited for the charge. He couldn’t get them all at once. Their numbers were still pouring in behind them. It would be all he could do to keep Clover safe. He would give it everything he got.

“Sion, if anything happens—” Aiden started to say as the wolf-like head glanced at him. He gave him a faint nod as his concentration moved back to the evil spirits.

Sion’s eyes narrowed as he prepared to attack. He could hear Clover’s rapid breaths, but he couldn’t turn to look at her. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down even for a moment. The shrilling screams roared and then they rushed forward. Black bolts of lightning crashed into the spirits, disintegrating hundreds of them instantly.

The shrieks erupted into a frenzy, their screams turning into deafening screeches. Sion continued to channel the dark energy, his body glowing with an ominous aura. The dark spirits were obliterated by every wave of Sion’s wrath, their cries of anguish echoing throughout the battlefield. The screams of terror built into a deafening roar that drowned out all other noise, an impenetrable wall of sound. As the horde of shrieks continued to surge forth, their cacophonous wails filled every corner and crevice until it felt like the world was shaking with fear.

Sion had barely scratched the surface of his powers since he was still new as a minor god. He realized he wasn’t ready to dissipate this many spirits at once. Reapus could eradicate them all in a single breath. One day he would be able to do the same… but not today. Right now, they were in trouble.

Diana’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched the scene play out in front of her. It didn’t take long for her to analyze the numbers. At the rate the shrieks were pouring in, they would end up overcoming them. She wondered… maybe… just maybe her powers could help. She could bend the light into blades, but could those blades hurt the shrieks? In either case, she had to try. Even if she failed, it was better than sitting there and doing nothing.

As the black lightning continued to knock out wave after wave the light in the area began to move. Lifting into the air and turning into sharp blades. The blades circled the group and began to spin around defensively. Just in time for the first surge of shrieks to reach them. The white blades hissed as they hit the shrieks who became engulfed in a white flame for a moment before evaporating. It was working. She ignored the pain her body was going through as she felt Aiden completely engulf her in his arms.

“Please stop. Please.” He begged as her b***d trickled over his body.

“What is happening to her?” The woman who emerged from the woods earlier asked in shock. A person they hadn’t had time to even speak to with everything that was going on.

“It still isn’t enough.” Clover said, her eyes scanning the masses of incoming shrieks. If only she had her powers as Anubis’ mate, then she could help. But she wouldn’t get those until after she died. And dying now would mean losing her unborn baby she was carrying.

“Alright, I’ve seen enough.” A woman’s voice called from the trees as she dropped down from a limb. Her deep green hair floated behind her as she lifted up her hand. White tree leaves sprung out from her hand, making the shrieks freeze. As she did this, pinecones began to fall from the sky and then… they began to run. The pinecones ran at the shrieks, smashing them into nothing.

Pink ribbons of energy flooded inside of Sion. He felt her warmth and knew his mate was giving him power. Like a waterfall, his power poured out from him, eliminating the shrieks in his path. However, as soon as he cleared a gap, it instantly filled in again. The situation was dire.

Suddenly, the earth rose from the ground and the shrieks collided into the earthly barrier.

“This feels like deja vu. Aiden, are you still playing with the shrieks?” A familiar voice asked, appearing near the group. Diana then collapsed into Aiden’s arms, soaked red with her b***d.

“Aken…” Aiden breathed out as he held Diana close.

The shrieks screamed loudly and Aken rubbed his ears. “Shut the hell up!” He roared. His voice eliminated all the shrieks in the area instantaneously.

“Aiden, what happened?” A man with dark hair and blue piercing eyes said as he appeared next to him.

“Uncle Levi…” Aiden’s fingers trembled as he held Diana’s unconscious body. “She has a vampire power that hurts her when she uses it. She—” Aken leaned forward and looked at the bloodied woman.

“She will be fine. She isn’t going to die from that. She was just mentally exhausted.” Aken watched the sharp gaze Levi gave him. “What? He doesn’t need to worry for nothing. And seriously, why did she even have to use her skills?!” His green eyes then landed on Sion who had shifted back into his human self. He was by Clover’s side, holding her as if she would disappear. “Not to be pointing fingers, but you should have been able to handle them.”

“He is still learning, Aken. He wasn’t born a god and will learn his strengths over time.” Levi growled as he checked Diana over. “Aken is right. She is going to be just fine.”

“See… I told you, Dad.” Aken said with a twisted grin as Levi growled.

“Don’t…”

“Yeah, I prefer Flipper to Dad anyways.”

“Out of everyone who exists… you are the one mated to my daughter.” Levi rubbed his forehead as Aken chuckled.

“Talk about being lucky. Of course, maybe that makes me a bit unlucky. The only reason I am here right now is because my mate is incredibly persistent.” Aken scowled as he looked up.

“Yeah, she is just like her mother.” Levi chuckled as he looked over everyone. “You know you could have helped out…” He said as he glanced upwards.

“What? Frosty the Snowbitch?” Aken laughed as a big ball of snow fell on his head.

“I would have intervened at the last minute. I promised Ike I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” Shiva appeared hovering over everyone.

“Well, aren’t you precious. Though I don’t think this is what Ly had in mind,” Aken snorted as he rolled his eyes. “We were on our way to Ly when we sensed this little party happening. I knew if I didn’t intervene that Alexis would murder me. Of course, I am faster than Old Blue so I made it here first.”

“Sorry, this is my fault. I didn’t anticipate this many shrieks. Something like this didn’t happen on its own.” Sion finally said, straightening up. He eyed the two women who he didn’t know.

“Of course this didn’t happen on its own.” Aken listened as Shiva clicked her tongue.

“Well Mr. Know-It-All do you know who did do it?”

“Well, since it seems you have frozen some of those brain cells, I’ll help you. Only someone who has control over the dead can do something like this. So that leaves us with a necromancer, a nycrops, or a demon… perhaps an original demon like the one we are hunting now.” He arched a brow up at her triumphantly as she pursed her lips together.

“You think this was Eris and not Meryl?” Levi asked, watching Aken nod his head slowly. “Why?” He watched as Aken turned his head to look behind him.

“I think she knew certain people would eventually travel through these woods. Like a lycan princess who escaped her curse?”

“Why would she know that?” Levi straightened up as Aken shrugged.

“I haven’t pieced it all together, but my hunch tells me this is a welcoming gift meant for the princess. Only she wasn’t expecting the wet nursing Anubis pup who isn’t paper trained yet.” Aken pointed his thumb over his shoulder as he motioned to Sion.

“Hey!” Conner growled as Sion held up his hand, shaking his head.

“One of the very charming things about the Kraken is that he thinks he is funny. Such a simpleton… the poor dear.” Shiva then waved her hand, sending ice to freeze the feet of the first woman who appeared. “Where do you think you are sneaking off to?”

“Easy! You almost hit the skints.” The woman who jumped from the tree said as she bent down to pick up one of the pinecones.

“Relax, I could see the little tree spirits. I missed them intentionally.” Shiva pursed her lips together and glared at the green-haired woman. “You are a feisty little dryad aren’t you?”

The dryad turned around and began checking the trees in the area for damage, completely ignoring the goddess.

“Is she a dryad too?” Jamie asked, pointing at the woman with her feet frozen in place.

“I’m a pure-blooded werewolf!” She declared indignantly.

“A pure-blooded werewolf who was saved by non-werewolves.” Clover said pointedly. “One guess where you are from, Children of the Moon pack?”

“Perfect. You’ll stay with us. That is just the place we are headed. Now, on to other matters. You said that is an elite vampire skill Diana used?” Sion turned to look at Aiden who was tenderly wiping the b***d for Diana’s face.

“Yes, that is what my mother had told her. Why?” Aiden glanced up to see Sion look up at Levi, Aken, and Shiva.

“I didn’t know vampires were able to wield purifying powers.”

“Maybe that is why it has this effect on her?” Shiva muttered out loud.

“Maybe that is why it has this effect on her…” Aken said in a mocking tone and shot an annoyed glance up at Shiva. “If you don’t know, just don’t speak. But I know who would know and we will be seeing him soon.”

“Eeeeee….” Shiva scrunched her face up and clicked her tongue several times. “That could be bad. If Rogio blessed her with this skill… a skill that hurts her when she uses it… and you ask him about it in front of Ike. Well, how do you think that will go?” She watched as a big grin spread over Aken’s face.

“Can’t wait.” Aken chuckled as Levi g*****d. “This might make this whole trip worth it.” Amusement filled his eyes as a mischievous smile rested on his face. “Oh, and then I get to tell Ly about how you sat and watched her get shredded like minced meat for the shrieks. I can’t wait for show and tell.”

“Aiden, I’ll stay with you until she wakes up. I can see how anxious you look.” Levi placed his hand on Aiden’s shoulder, giving him a warm smile. “I promise you she is fine.” Her silver eyes fluttered open and Levi nodded for Aiden to look down. “See?”

“Diana.” Aiden said, full of relief as she stared up at him.

“She really was fine. It was mental exhaustion. However, if Alexis looked like that— well I would be a mess too. It’s funny how mates do that to you. They take away all rational thought.” Aken then looked up at Levi. “Speaking of my mate… let’s get this Eris business taken care of so we can get back to ours.”

“I smelled her.” Diana quietly said and everyone turned to look at her. “Before the shrieks showed up— I could have sworn I caught a trace of her scent. But it was gone just as fast.”

“Now how about that?” Aken looked up at Shiva with a cocky wink.

“Hmm, we need to discuss this with Lycaon.” Levi said, his brows knitted in deep thought.

“Well, let’s go find the Scooby-Doo Gang and put them on the right trail.” Aken glanced up at Shiva. “Do better, Elsa.” With that he vanished.

“He’s been hanging around my son too much.” A small smile rested over Levi’s lips before he glanced back at his nephew. “You okay, now?” He asked, assessing Aiden, who nodded, keeping his eyes on Diana. “I had better catch up to him. Aken can’t wait to get some payback for being cursed to the sea.” He glanced up at Shiva, “Be careful…” then he vanished as well.

“I’ll be around.” Shiva disappeared, a blue light twinkling for just a moment.

“I thought I was going to lose you.” Aiden whispered in Diana’s hair.

“I really was fine. The cuts looked worse than they were.” She placed her feet down to secure her footing. Aiden kept a sturdy arm around her, not daring to let her go. Her silver eyes looked around and then settled on the two women she didn’t know.

“Who are they?”