Chapter 20

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The water rippled in a delicate manner, licking sullenly at Kyree's fingertips as he dipped them into the pond. He wanted to touch the fish, wanted to know what their scales felt like under his skin. For weeks, he had been trying to catch one, the big blue one with the long white fins. Yet it always somehow eluded him, no matter how much food he offered and no matter how slow his movements were.

As the frail white fin slipped through the young boy's outstretched fingers, he gasped, his little eyes lighting up with hope that today it might just still long enough for him to stroke his fingers over the cobalt scales. Wiggling his fingers in the cool water, Kyree encouraged the small animal closer, holding his breath as it neared him.

Then it happened. The fish brushed up against Kyree's fingers as it swam past and he finally knew what the tiny animal felt like. The scales were smooth and almost glossy as they skimmed against the pads of Kyree's fingertips, sending a flush of cold throughout the young child.

He giggled triumphantly, lifting his hand from the water, watching the fish duck down into the darkness of the bottomless pond. For just a second, the thought of joining the fish in the pond flitted through the child's mind. To dive deep into the clear waters, venture into a world unknown to him, it was somewhat tempting.

"Daddy, where do the-" Kyree ceased abruptly as he turned, coming face to face, or rather face to chest, with a very tall man. A very tall man with a very sinister look in his eyes, a twisted smirk on his lips and what looked to be blood on his shirt.

"What were you saying, little boy?" Kyree had an awful fuzzy feeling in his stomach that whatever was stood before him was not a man. Rather, it was a thing. A thing that spoke in sort of a husky growl, almost hissing out certain sounds, as though it was a mixture between a snake and a bear.

"W-Who are y-you?" Kyree stammered, a wave of fear washing over the child, "w-where's my daddy?" the creature loomed over Kyree, it's emotionless eyes narrowed as it stared, unblinking, at the young boy.

"I asked you a question, little boy, so..." the creature leant down, so close to Kyree's face that he could feel it's heated breath on his cheek, "answer me!" it shrieked, startling Kyree so much that tears slipped from his eyes.

"I wanted to know where the fish went when they swam away," Kyree quavered, his body trembling as he stared into the colourless eyes of the thing.

"Well, how about I show you?" Kyree cried out as he was swung into the air and plunged into the deep waters of the pond. He thrashed his arms and legs as his head was held under the water, panic spiking his instincts.

But the little boy only had so much fight in him, with the sudden flush of ice cold throwing his body into shock and knocking all air from his lungs. It was mere seconds before the thing no longer had to hold him under the water. He didn't have the strength to lift his head out.

The burning sensation in his chest felt like a fire was growing in his lungs, searing into his flesh and extinguishing the life within him. Through half-lidded eyes, he could see the low sunlight streaming through into his watery prison, fluttering left to right as if it were waving off to him as he passed into unconsciousness.

It seemed surreal but the reality was pain to the child. Agonising pressure spreading throughout his frail figure as it screamed at him for oxygen, begging and pleading with each slow heartbeat. Somehow, Kyree knew that if he breathed in the water, allowed the cold liquid into his chest, that he would go faster.

He just had to fight the instinct to close his throat off, had to muster the strength to die that he could not grasp to live. Just one breath, one breath and his suffering would end.

Just...

One...

Breath...

A small hand gripped one of Kyree's arms, then the other, tugging his body roughly from the water. Another pair of hands aided in the struggle of pulling Kyree from the pond. Kyree coughed and spluttered, gasping for air the second he felt the breeze on his cheeks.

"Ky? Kyree, you're OK now, you're safe," a hand splayed across Kyree's back, spreading warmth through his body as he wheezed, his entire body shivering.

"What happened to daddy? What was that, Fi?" Kyree whimpered, staring up with a terrified expression at the two boys that had quite literally saved his life.

"We don't know, Ky. One of them attacked us before we came out here, we can't find anyone else," at the mention of the other members of their family, Kyree felt a spike of terror jolt through his chest.

"Ambrose," he uttered softly, stumbling to his feet and running inside as fast as he possibly could. Ambrose was in the basement, he had to get to him. Just as he reached the door, a hand on his shoulder stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Let us go first, Ky, light scares them away," Dante whispered, slipping his hand into Fionn's before turning the doorknob. Kyree shielded his eyes from the blinding light emanating from the two other children, only forcing them open when he heard Ambrose's sobs. Kyree darted blindly into the room, regaining a small amount of his vision as Dante and Fionn dimmed their light.

"Amb? Amb, I'm here, you're OK," Kyree reassured the child as he flung his arms tightly around him, tugging him into his little chest, hoping his erratic heartbeat wouldn't be too detectable.

"K-Ky?" Ambrose's voice was raspy and broken as Kyree shushed him, rocking the young boy gently in his arms. Ambrose suddenly tensed, rearing back as Fionn and Dante entered the room.

"Amb, it's OK, it's just Fi and Dante. They made it light. They made it go away," Kyree rubbed small circles into Ambrose's trembling shoulders, forcing some sort of smile on his mouth in an attempt to convey some calm aura. Ambrose seemed mesmerised by the light from Fionn and Dante, as if he had never seen their power before.

"Ambrose," Fionn spoke softly, not wanting to scare his little brother any more than he already was, "mommy says its time. We have to go..."


Awakening didn't come easily to Kyree. He woke with a cry, his eyes widened in terror and his heart beating so fast he feared it might leap from his chest. Ambrose was at his side in an instant, his tight grip on Kyree's arms being the only thing keeping his lover grounded in that moment.

"Ky? Kyree, calm down," Ambrose said firmly as Kyree struggled with controlling his erratic breathing, "Kyree, it was a dream, OK? You're safe, Kyree, you're safe," Ambrose kept repeating that as if he was not only trying to convince Kyree of that but also himself. It took time but Kyree relaxed soon enough, his breathing slowing enough to be classed as regular, rather than hyperventilating.

"That was awful," Kyree uttered between deep, laboured breaths, "so fucking awful, Amb. I felt it, I felt myself drowning. The breathlessness, the panic, the ache. All of it," tears welled in Kyree's eyes as he held into Ambrose's hands so tight his knuckles turned white, "what does it mean, Amb? Why the fuck are we haunted with these dreams? First yours, now mine. Is Saige gonna get one too? What is it?" Ambrose rested his head against Kyree's, caressing his cheek gently.

"I don't know, baby, I really don't know," Ambrose muttered, sounding defeated and weary. Kyree wrapped his arms around Ambrose's waist, leaning back and tugging him onto his chest.

"There's something deeper going on with us," Kyree murmured into the silence of the room, running his index finger down the spiralling chain brand on Ambrose's left forearm, staring into his lover's beautifully different eyes.

"Maybe I should get my father to ask around, see if anyone has seen anything like this before," Ambrose suggested, sliding his palm up against Kyree's, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when Kyree's fingers interlocked with his.

A sudden surge of power through the two men left them frowning at their hands clasped together. What began as a soft, barely visible amber glow, seeped down the two men's arms, igniting the blood in their veins.

"Ky, what is-" then two became one. There was no longer Kyree and Ambrose sat together on the bed in each other's arms. One being had taken their place. A concoction of the two men, incorporating the both of them into one body.

Rising to it's feet, the being strode on wobbling legs toward the mirror to look at itself. It had to lean over to see it's face, being well over 7 foot in stature and built like an ox. Broad shoulders, rippling muscles covered in taught tanned skin, glowing amber veins pulsating through the being. The sight was mesmerising, to say the least.

Short, brunette locks fell messily over the being's face, parted by the two thick black horns sprouting from it's head. They were longer than Ambrose's, curled at the tip, still that beautiful pearlescent shade of obsidian. The colour that matched the eyes of the being, staring intently at itself, wondering what on earth had happened.

The creature had strong features, a mixture of Kyree's perfect jawline and high cheekbones and Ambrose's full lips and somehow soft, compassionate eyes. The brand was still there, glowing a somewhat bright black, almost looking as though it was giving off wisps of charred smoke.

"Amb? Ky? You awake?" the being's gaze whipped to the door as Saige entered, her jaw dropping open when her eyes landed on the being. It saw her take in a breath to scream but knew it's reflexes were much faster than hers. In some miniscule measurement of time smaller than a second, the being clamped it's hand over Saige's mouth, kicking the door shut so no one would see their encounter.

"Do not scream," the voice that escaped the creature's mouth was neither that of Kyree or Ambrose. It sounded distorted, low and wild. The desperation only added to the gruff and husky tone. Saige's eyes were wide, yet she remained completely still as she stared at the being looming over her.

"Saige, do not be afraid. I am Ambrose. And I am Kyree."

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