Chapter 28 ∣  Hopeless

-Maverick

"Please...Maverick, please just wake up..."

I could hear her soft voice calling for me, begging me to open my eyes. Please, tell me Eris, just tell me. She sounded so distressed, her voice on the edge of cracking and sure enough, tears would follow. I hadn't heard her this way, only when she told me about her past that it broke her down so much that I'd heard her this close and ready to fall apart again.

"Don't trust me..." her voice continued to crack, her sobs breaking my heart. My body was drained, not ever having been put through her taking my energy like that before. She wouldn't stop and if I had a soul, I'm sure I would have been dead by now.

This isn't Eris.

This isn't my Eris.

This isn't the one I feel so hard for, trying to right every wrong in her past and protect her future. I don't know what happened to her, whatever happened with Rook bringing her back must have gone horribly wrong. I guess that's what happens when you mess around with things you shouldn't.

"Maverick...it's inside me, please get it out...please help me," I could feel her shaking me awake, my senses slowly returning to my body. I gained strength with each steady breath I took, trying hard to hold onto her voice and use it to bring myself back to the realm of consciousness.

"The demon Maverick...don't let i-"

Silence.

Eris?

I want to speak to her, trying to find my own voice it seems like it has been locked away. I close my eyelids harder, hoping that when I try to open them, they will see her face and that this has all just been a nightmare.

Eris?

Again, I try, but nothing. I could feel it now though, this time I felt my muscles tensing and relaxing, gaining my control again.

"Eris?" This time, I heard my own voice and I forced my eyelids open. Even though I was laying on my back in the dark room, it was brighter than sleeping. I winced at the sudden intrusion of the lighting from the space around me, glancing around through the blurry fog in front of my eyes before seeing a body sitting next to me.

Slowly, I managed to get onto my elbows, lifting myself up until I was finally sitting straight up. When I turned to my side, Eris was sitting on her knees, staring directly at me without saying a single word. She had this vacant and void expression on her face, something eerie about her just put me right off.

"Eris, are you okay?" I asked her, but she didn't flinch. Instead, I reached my hand out, touching her shoulder. I hoped for some type of reaction, trying to let my thoughts flow through me without any interruption. That's when I remembered it all.

She broke our one-sided bond.

Confusion and anger rippled through my body, furrowing my brows when I asked, "Why did you do that? How did you do that?"

Eris tilted her head to the side, almost like a mechanical motion. There was some light behind her translucent green irises, her voice even as she replied, "Why did I take my soul back? Because I can. It's not yours," my hand fell away from her shoulder, taken aback by her remark, but she didn't stop, instead she continued, "How did I do it? Simple. I used my innate ability to do so."

"But how?" She was returning to her normal self, before being killed...but...not at the same time. She never acted this way, instead, she was acting as though scorned by the entire world around her. It was dark and it made me uneasy as to what her intentions are.

She smirked, "Oh come on, I don't take you for a fool so neither should you...I'm a succubus, or have you forgotten that part?"

"You were brought back as a mortal...how are you a succubus? It doesn't make a bit of sense..." my head was hurting, just trying to figure out all of this brought on an intense migraine.

I glanced around the room, my eyes settling on my clothes before I realized something, I should have a long time ago...I'm still fucking naked. Growling, I pushed off the bed, hurriedly dressing, and not even giving her a single glance.

She giggled, coming up behind me just as I finished adjusting my clothes and touched my back. I felt it, that instant feeling of seduction creeping up my spine. She wouldn't have her way this time, now that I knew what was going on. My body tensed and I growled, "Knock it off..." Turning around, she feigned being hurt and just rolled her eyes. "I don't know what exactly you are playing at, but you need to knock it the fuck off!"

The warmth and glow from her light inside of me no longer guided me. It no longer controlled the anger that was rising with each passing second. My control teetered. I breathed in sharply, trying to push away those thoughts, the ones of just wanting to kill her right now for being this arrogant...the way she was playing with me was not amusing.

"I'm going to see my mother...I planned on it yesterday and let her know...I'm surprised she never followed up..." my voice trailed off, walking away and toward the door.

Eris was quick on my heels, asking, "Why?"

After opening the door and turning just to glare at her, I said, "You."

"Me?" She looked disheartened.

Instead of engaging with her, I stormed out of the room, heading toward the top landing of the marble staircase. I could still hear her behind me, following, and watching exactly what I was doing. She was my shadow, keeping quiet the entire time until we passed Arlynn and I asked, "Where is my mother?"

Arlynn arched a brow and stated, "You're not the only one looking for her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I already had enough riddles with Eris, I didn't need any extra bonus levels of this hidden game from her.

She shook her head and said, "Never mind. Forget it. She's in the training area."

"Thanks," I muttered, hearing Eris ask, "Who's looking for who?"

She must have noticed that I had outpaced her and instead of waiting for an answer, she quickly caught up to me. Right as I was about to head to the lower level underneath the mansion, Ryker's white irises went wide. I almost ran right into him, feeling the tension rolling off his shoulders.

"Maverick, your mother said you wanted to talk to her?" Ryker's statement came out more like a question.

"Yea, yesterday..." he saw my irritation.

"She's-" I interrupted Ryker.

"I know, Arlynn already told me. Thanks though," I sighed, Eris tiptoeing around and trying to use that touch of hers every second she got. I clenched my hands into fists, urging myself to just stop and ignore her, but it was becoming harder and harder. Leaving Ryker behind, I continued down the long passageway to the underground training area.

"Why do you want to talk about me?" Eris asked, her voice somewhat challenging.

"Just stop talking..." any bond we had before...now nothing...it's nothing.

Eris let out an exasperated sigh, "Wow, you fuck me once and you become a prick."

"What the hell is your problem?!" I snapped, "You did this! Stop getting under my skin or I swear..."

"Awe, you swear what?" She giggled, skipping past me for a second.

I grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her behind me and making her stumble. When she saw my eyes, a glaring frown crossed her face. "I'll do something I'll regret," I finished, speaking each word carefully. She remained silent right after that, almost like she was bored and had given up her assault for the moment. Nearing the closed door, I could hear voices coming from the other side.

The moment I pushed open the door, storming in with such anger, my eyes fell on my grandfather, my mother, Rook, and...Micah.

Just from the look on my grandfather's face, I could tell something really pissed him the hell off and I wasn't even going to ask. There was too much I was already dealing with...maybe they tried to get more information from Hendrix again...anything could have set him off.

Continuing stepping further into the room, I asked, "Rook...what are you doing back? Where's Lucette...and Tamsin?" This didn't bode well. Rook and Lucette were inseparable...and with Lucette not standing alongside him, Tamsin instantly came to my mind.

Eris continued to follow me, playing the silent shadow for the moment. Coming to a standstill just a few feet away from the gathered crowd, I noticed something very odd. That necromancer was eyeing Eris and with my temper already pushing past its breaking point, I didn't need to add more fuel.

It wasn't just me staring at Micah now, my mother and Rook also looked to him for an answer to my question. Why wasn't Rook speaking? I could see it in his eyes, something was very off...

As Micah still kept his eyes from flickering to Eris, he stated, "Your...sister is being held captive by a few demons." It seemed like he was going to say more, but he suddenly halted himself, too transfixed on Eris. I glanced sideways, seeing Eris also eye him with just as much curiosity...?

I think that was the right word.

"Rook decided it'd be best to inform you," Micah's gray irises met with mine, but they quickly returned to Eris.

"Lucette?" I asked, waiting to hear the rest of the information he held. He was too preoccupied to finish his thoughts.

"Everything will be fine..." my grandfather spoke, but he didn't sound all that confident like he normally did. It was almost like he was hoping Micah would give him some peace of mind...he didn't though.

Instead, he kept watching Eris. She walked behind me, her soft touch reaching out and landing on my shoulder. There was that feeling and for some reason, it was becoming easier to fight off, knowing exactly what she was doing made it clear in my mind what I had to avoid. It had affected me though, for just a split second, and Micah's eyes landed on me at that moment, shifting from Eris.

Angrily, I shrugged her off and turned to my best friend, asking, "Rook, can you speak with my grandfather about establishing a way to communicate with you? I have to speak to my mother about something..."

Rook glanced at Micah, almost like he had to ask him permission. What's happened since he's been gone? He'd never allow himself to take orders from another unless it was my family. Rook is a coven leader after all and a powerful one at that.

Rook didn't move, not until Micah nodded and stated, "I'll catch up." Right after that, he continued to eye Eris. It was rather pissing me off the way he was looking at her, but I breathed in deeply and tried to calm myself.

"Alright," Rook answered Micah before heading out of the room with my grandfather, leaving me alone with my mother, what I thought was my beloved, and the quizzical necromancer.

"What did you need to talk about?" My mother asked with concern.

I glanced at Micah and Eris' touch returned.

I'm so done now...

Reaching and wrapping my hand around her wrist, I pulled her to the side of me and stated, "She's...not human anymore."

My mother reassured me, "Rook did say her memories may return, bu-"

"Well, a fucking lot more returned than just her memories," I interrupted my mother, Eris slipping right from my hold and slightly away from where I stood. She crossed her arms and pouted like a child that didn't get what they wanted.

"What...exactly..." my mother was trying to understand what I was saying. Hell, even I was still trying to understand it. I sighed and stated, "I don't even know how it's possible...but, she's a succubus again? I don't even know."

"Awe, I thought you wanted me this way?" Eris giggled, "You kept saying how you'd wish things were back like before."

"They sure as hell aren't," there was an edge in my tone that I hadn't used with her. Something cold and unfeeling was working its way into my heart, the place where Eris was supposed to bring me light.

Eris shifted her gaze and sighed, "Well, what did you expect?"

"You fucking break our bond...the last connection I had to you," the anger surface and I couldn't hold it back any longer, "What's wrong with you?!"

Eris's eyes locked with Micah and there was nothing I could say that would break them apart. I was about ready to really have some time apart with her, this was just too much.

"You're not the same...this is not who you were before," I found it in me not to completely snap this time, but just barely.

"Well, then maybe I should leave then," Eris simply shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal, like being apart from me would bring her happiness. She continued to push me and now my mother was frustrated as well.

Eris' and my eyes locked, a deep glare passing between us. There was nothing left of who she once was, this was not what I ever wanted. Finally, my mother broke the deadlock of a stare we had been brewing, stating, "Eris, Maverick, you're both had to adjust, maybe you do need some time apart like you should have had when she was first brought back."

"Excellent idea," Eris retorted and it hurt more. It was like a piece of my heart was taken along with her fragmented soul when she took it back. I thought she trusted me. I thought she trusted us.

I muttered under my breath, "I can't do this anymore."

In my thoughts, darkness continuing to build between Eris and me, I hardly noticed when Micah was no longer standing where he once was. No, instead I couldn't have been more furious when he took something from his pocket, one of the items falling away. He quickly brought one of his arms around Eris' waist and in one fluid motion, he had her back flush against his chest while his other hand rose and pressed a cloth over her nose and mouth.

What the fuck is he doing?!

My muscles tensed, Eris grappling for the arm around her waist, trying to fight him off. I noticed the telltale sign of when she once was able to use her electricity, long before all of this. It sparked the top layer of her skin, her eyes shifting to an electric blue as I knew she would be flooding Micah's body with electricity, her last defense. However, he held her in place, only noticing that it had somewhat affected him when his grip loosened for a fraction of a second, his breath caught.

Eris' eyes grew heavy, blinking a couple of times as her irises reverted back to their translucent green before being completely covered by her eyelids. Her muscles relaxed, noticing she had given up the struggle. Whatever electricity was subsiding within Micah's body, I could see it had taken him by surprise. He kept her pressed firmly to him, now supporting her unconscious body.

Mother, what's going on?

Mav, I'm not sure...I wasn't sure exactly what I was seeing...but he had a vial along with that piece of cloth. I'm not sure exactly what was in it...but at least Eris' heartbeat is steady.

Micah took a shaky breath, his eyes lifting and meeting my own black rose irises. A growl had emitted from the back of my throat and my control was gone. I took a step toward him and snarled with such anger, "What the hell are you doing?!"

I'm going to fucking kill him...who the hell allowed him entry into our coven?

Your grandmother and grandfather...regrettably.

He dropped the cloth and at that moment, I lunged for him, intending to very well kill him...well...at least hurt him...a lot. When he brought his arm up and extended it in my direction, I felt a foreboding feeling gripping my body, forcing me back like there was some type of invisible wall.

Rook, where the fuck are you?! Get your new friend before I rip him apart.

There was a pause, no response.

In my confusion, his head instantly turned to the side, catching sight of a chair only standing off a few feet away from where he and Eris were standing. My eyes widened, watching the chair scrap across the concrete floor, and stopping but just a foot away from him. I still tried to fight the wall, my heart racing fast, only seeing red with the anger I held.

Maverick, what's going on?

I swear...

As he set Eris' unconscious body on the chair, I noticed my mother edging toward his side. She must have been experiencing the same type of helplessness as she growled, "What the hell?" Her own eyes had shifted to their black rose, glaring daggers while Micah looked to the far end of the room.

It shocked me...well, nearly after the chair moving on its own when a rope decided to move across the floor like it was a living snake. It moved up the chair, encircling around Eris' body and tying her firmly in place. My mother and I were beyond angry, Micah's attention now fully on us before he stated, "Your beloved is possessed."

Wait, what?

I instantly let go of the rage and anger inside of me, relaxing for a moment to allow my eyes to shift back to their normal hazel blue, my mother's following as well.

Possessed?

Everything seemed to be spinning, hearing his words, "This...demon. It's taken full control of her body. The Succubus walks freely while...Eris' screams fall on deaf ears."

"What?" My confusion was mixed with my own sinking heart, the feeling that I'd not realized what was happening broke me. I couldn't fully understand what he meant by that, after all, her bond with her demon had been one she could always control and allow to surface when she wished.

My attention went to my mother, the feeling of the invisible wall fading away just like my temper and my hope. When I caught my mother's eyes, I muttered, "Rook said something else came back with her...was it this demon? How could it be possessing her? They are one and the same, she had control freely."

"The demon is no longer attached to her," his words were softer this time, his gaze falling to Eris' unconscious body now restrained to the chair, "It has become its own entity. In order to survive, it must claim a body that it has full control over. This demon...it's fighting to rid your beloved and keep the body for itself."

"But that means-" my mother's look of terror did not go unnoticed, "Why would it break your bond?"

"She took her fragmented soul back," I began, "I have no idea what happened, but woke up and came down here, her trailing behind me. She was acting off...I just thought it was because of her memories and her being human. I was wrong." It hurt and it was hard to admit I hadn't been more attentive to what was actually happening. Here Eris was begging for me to help her, to save her, and my senses were tuned out, no longer able to communicate with her. She was fighting a battle on her own, one I never realized, and I couldn't do anything to help her.

"The Dominion Plane. Did she...visit often?" Micah questioned me, his eyes still overlooking Eris.

"No," I answered his question, unsure of exactly how he would know of the place from which she came. "She was actually cast out after killing..." I paused for a moment, not wanting to go into any more detail about her past, "She'd never willingly go back there, not after her history."

"I see..." a subtly hum came from the back of his throat. He must have been thinking about how to word whatever it was he was going to say next. He concluded, "It would have taken anyone as its...host. This demon must want revenge on Eris. Whatever else it seeks I cannot tell you."

"Revenge? Revenge for what?" My mother's concern laced in her words came out much weaker than she would have liked.

I was lost within my own thoughts, trying to think about everything Rook had mentioned about bring her back. Finally, I brought