Aeress

     "Servant!" 

     Aeress twisted around on instinct, and regretted it when her eyes landed on a man who couldn't have oozed with more privilege if he tried. Wrapped in a lavish suit and in italian leathers seen on the feet of most billionaires, she knew trouble when she saw it. 

     Taking a moment to make sure there were no other people in the hallway, she confirmed that he was addressing her. "Oh, no, I'm not-"

     His eyebrows went up a few inches off his pale forehead when his eyes landed on her. His long, light brown locks were combed back in a neat style so classically. "My room was in unacceptable conditions. Is this appropriate service for a Viceroy, servant?" He smirked. It would have been charming had she not hated the idea of being charming. "But for you, I may be more forgiving."

     Aeress didn't know if she should have been offended. "A little dust never hurt anyone."

     He moved with supernatural speed. His breath was minty fresh, blowing against her nose. "Perhaps you are right, although my assistant always sends specific instructions before my scheduled stay. Maybe they were lost somewhere along the way, but I doubt that, because... they clearly fulfilled one particular."

      "And what particular would that be, Viceroy...?" Aeress stepped closer. The more wicked and petty part of her bubbled up to the surface. She smiled at his handsome face. Sure, he had a power she could not help but acknowledge, but she also had an upper-hand he was ignorant too. 

     He studied her with his dark blue eyes. Really studied her. "Adonis. The utmost particular is that I always require a beautiful view." His eyes travelled lower. "And who are you, servant, I would've remembered a woman like you from any previous stay?" 

     What an asshole he was. This was the kind of man who didn't have to work hard for anything he wanted, especially anything with a hole and breath. "Perhaps if you listened past the sound of your own whining, you would have heard that I am not a servant."

     This didn't move him. "Servant, Cook, the titles don't matter to me, just as long as you end up in my-"

     "What about Premier's mate?" 

     He was caught off guard but bounced back just as quickly. That all-knowing smirk never left its place. "I did not think she would be roaming the Temple of Godhead so freely. My-" 

      She threw up a hand. "No sweet talking your way out of this, bub. If you want my advice," she was the one to get into his face that time, "when you're trying to court a woman, maybe wait a few seconds or minutes before you try to shove your dick down their throat? Metaphorically speaking, of course. It's a real boner killer, trust me." 

     He seemed unable to contain his amusement and waited a beat before he chose his words more wisely. "I'll keep that in mind next time." And as if they were old buddies, he nodded his head at her and walked off. 

     She crossed her arms and watched his back the entire time. What a bastard. Even then, he walked with all the confidence in the world, after he flirted with the mate of one of the most-if not the most-powerful men in the world. 

     "I should've went to his room and shoved a lamp up his ass," she muttered to herself before walking away. 

     It was a beautiful day and didn't need to be ruined by yet another arrogant, werewolf asshole. She feared that this place would be filled to the brim with them by the end of the week at this rate! 

     Aeress nearly toppled over as a wave of heat flashed through her body. And then again, but this time she ate shit. Her head began to buzz with a ringing that completely obscured her hearing until she couldn't even hear her own screaming. 

     She needed water. But not just any water. 

     Aeress stumbled to the nearest exit, even as her skin was scorching. The ringing got worse until she felt the buzzing soak into her bones, cracking into the very core. She rattled from the inside out, and her stomach tied into knots, twisting and pulling in ten million directions. 

     "Ma'am?" the guard who was stationed there questioned. He looked so frail like a child. "Do you need assistance?" 

     When she opened her mouth, her voice was deep and quite frankly-terrifying. "Move or I will move you." 

     She refrained from tossing him and waited for him to open the door. She walked out with the sole purpose of finding her river. The place where her power was most potent. 

     The male followed quietly behind, and must have known she was not in the mood for questioning. 

     "What's happening?" she groaned to herself, clutching her stomach as she trudged along, just walking to where instinct directed. 

     There was no response from Godhead. 

     She sighed when she heard the rushing of the water, literally collapsing when it came into view. 

     Uncaring of who saw, she crawled to the river, crying out as her bones and muscles felt like they were stretching and ripping. "Oh, please, make it stop," she breathed.

     Finally, she threw herself into the river, and drank it, allowing it to cool down the inferno within her. The current was stronger this time, and Aeress hadn't noticed she was being carried away in the water until she heard the shouting guard. But she had no strength left and instead embraced the water. 

     A calmness came over her, and it felt like this was Godhead's way of comforting her. 

     "What's happening?" she whispered against the roaring stream as the water drug her farther and farther away. 

     I told you, the time of separation has ended. When you took your first soul willingly, you began the process of fusion. 

     "Fusion?" 

     Hush now, and focus. It isn't much longer now...

______________________________________

      Aeress studied her reflection in the river.

     It was a different person. Not the face or body she expected to see. 

     Her hair was no longer on the shorter side and frizzy. Now she has long, inky hair that reached down to her butt. Besides that, she was taller, by more than a few inches. She wouldn't be surprised if she was closer to six feet-maybe even taller. 

     Her eyes changed but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. 

     "We're fusing? What does that mean for us?" 

     It means what it sounds like. We are not one as we should be, two halves of a soul in one body, yet still not a whole entirely, not yet. We cannot survive this way, and will not survive the trials if we continue this path of separation. 

     Aeress sighed. "So basically we will die if we don't fuse...?" 

      In a sense. But do not worry of this, we will unite, eventually, when you are ready. 

      "What if I'm never ready? I'm already changing more than I ever imagined. Physically. Mentally. I used to feel sick at the thought of killing someone, but now... The guilt is starting to fade and it terrifies me." 

     Change is good, Aeress. It means acceptance. Just because you are not fighting me every step of the way, it doesn't mean you are weak or that you are losing. You will be ready sooner than you think. 

       "There's not much I can do about it, is there? I've got to admit, becoming a goddess is just a little more attractive than becoming dead." 

     Godhead chuckled. Yes, I would think so. I brought you back once, but this time, it will not be so easy, Aeress. Just embrace me. How can you not when we are two halves of the same whole?

     Aeress could hear the hurt in her voice. "That's just the thing. You're right. You've been right this whole time, and I've just been too stubborn to admit it. Since the moment I was born, I knew something was missing. A piece. A detail. It'd drive me crazy when I thought too far into it. I knew I had a purpose, but nothing around me would suffice or satisfy me. I know now why. A tough pill to swallow, let me tell you. And I've lived with that hallow feeling for so long..."

     You fear losing it? You do not know who you will be without it or if you will like that woman? 

     Aeress buried her face in her knees with shame. "I'm a coward. I'm chickenshit. I don't deserve to be Godhead, I don't deserve you. And no matter how many times I try to call you a monster, I know you aren't. I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry." 

      Oh, Aeress. Don't you understand? You are the human part of me. You are flawed and so very beautiful because of it. You feel what I cannot. You are not a coward, and you never will be. You are the bravest woman, and have earned a place right here with me more than anyone else in this world. 

     Aeress never thought she would feel such warmth from a creature who she believed to be so insidious. 

     The sound of the river and her breathing filled the silence for a while. 

     She allowed herself to cry, to scream, to laugh out every emotion which had plagued her since the start of this journey. She did so until her throat begged for quietness. Only then when she felt completely drained did she stop. 

     Aeress wiped her tear-stained cheeks. "Okay," she croaked out to Godhead, "let's do this."