Chapter 76

Cameron's Point Of View

I knew it.

There was nothing left inside of me. I was nothing more than an empty shell. I felt absolutely nothing but a pain in my heart. A darkness that loomed over every inch of my mind. Just patiently waiting until it finally took over every piece of me.

It wouldn't be that bad to shut it all out. To rid myself of this pain that had filled the cavity in my soul, but one glance at Theo and my mate, reminded me I wasn't the only one suffering through it. They needed me. And I needed them.

But I couldn't deny it. I also felt a little fear in the smallest crevice of my heart. We would never be okay. There was no way we would ever survive this loss.

It was worse than knowing she was somewhere out there but we couldn't find her.

Eighteen long years of never giving up. Of searching relentlessly for our little princess, and in the end she ended up in a coffin.

It was the most distraught sight for a parent. It was never supposed to be like this. A parent should never outlive their children. They should never get to see a day like this.

I shut my eyes as Vittorio's sad howls filled the walls of my mind and a tear slipped escaped my eyes.

I pulled them open and they once again rested on my little girl. She looked so peaceful. I didn't know how to deal with the reality that I would never hear her call out to me again. I would never see her be happy. She would never get to live her life.

I drew Davina closer to my chest, and she rested in my embrace, sobbing silently. I heard Rhona's voice from a distance, she was speaking to us but I didn't have the strength to pull my eyes to her. It remained on my little girl.

They had finished their chants and were about to begin the final rituals for the deceased witches. This was goodbye for all of us.

I glanced around the crowd to where some members of Asher’s pack were gathered mourning for their Luna, hoping to get a glimpse of Asher but he wasn't there. And I couldn't find him among the rest of the crowd.

“Wait,” I stopped the witches from proceeding with the final rites. “Where's Asher?”

“He was taken away and binded . He completely lost it and his demon and wolf have taken over his mind. Daemon, Hendrick, Mitch, and Carter are with him, trying to get Asher to take control, but he isn't fighting. He's turned off his humanity,” Gabi said in tears. “He's completely gone,”

I felt a stab in my chest, just thinking about what he would be going through right now. The pain of losing a mate was worse than dying. I knew best how painful it was. I experienced it when I lost Davina as well. And I knew I would never have survived if she hadn't come back to me.

I brushed the fresh tears from my eyes. “He has to be here. He has every right to. We can't proceed with the ritual unless he's here,” I said, knowing he wouldn't forgive himself if he missed this moment, even as painful as it was and Cirilla wouldn't have wanted this for him.

I placed a comforting kiss on my mate's forehead, pulling away from her. Theo took my place, wrapping his arms around her as I started towards the forest. I mindlinked Mitch and he informed me they were at the bunkers in the East Side borders of the pack where our vampire quarters were.

In a flash, I teleported myself there. I was barely at the doors of the underground bunkers when I heard the loud chaos going on within those bunkers. As I approached the steel doors, I met Stefan and Wren outside the doors.

They lowered their heads as I stepped into the bunkers. I found Daemon, Hendrick, Mitch, and Carter inside, circling Asher.

Mitch, Hendrick, and Carter were partly in their wolf forms while Daemon was also sharing control with his demon. His eyes were bloodshot red, black veins moving like snake vines on his skin, and black smoke escaping like vapors from his body.

I was about to step inside when I felt Davina's emotions through our mate link. Something was wrong. In an instant, without thinking, I teleported right out of the bunkers and appeared back in the crowd.

A scream shot through the air, it sounded like one of the kids.

“I swear I saw her fingers move. I swear it,” Cole's daughter, Amy, screamed again, her body trembling in fear and the crowd around drew closer to the coffins.

“What's happening?” I rushed to my mate and her eyes were almost bulging from her sockets in shock. “What the hell is—” I started but Amy's voice cut me off.

“Her fingers. I swear by the goddess, I saw Cirilla move her fingers,” She pointed at the coffin.

And my eyes drifted to the coffin as I rushed closer. But there was nothing. No movements. No heartbeat. Nothing.

This was such an expensive joke. I didn't know what I was about to do as my eyes darted to Amy, but suddenly, Davina's firm hand gripped my hand, her focus still on the coffin, and her eyes filled with unbelievable shock.

“Something is… She is… How is this possible…” Davina was shaking her head manically, scaring me. I cupped her cheeks bringing her eyes to me. “Her magic… I can feel it. I can feel her magic…” Tears poured from her eyes and she escaped my hold, placing her hand on our daughter's hand. “She's in there. I can feel it,”

I was about to speak again when my little angel’s eyelids fluttered.

“Fuck!” I froze, staring in shock. This wasn't real. I wasn't seeing clearly. But it happened again. Her eyelids fluttered, and her lashes began to twitch.

At this, shocked screams and loud gasps escaped from the crowd.

“Cirilla?” Theo was the first to find his voice. He stumbled backward in shock as her lashes twitched once more and they pulled apart

“Oh my goddess!” I rushed to her, her blue eyes squinting a little before they found mine and a small smile touched her lips.

She pulled up from the coffin, her eyes falling to her body as she felt the skin of her flesh as if in disbelief as well. A small smile touched her lips and she broke out in a single sob, her eyes moving around, taking in the shocked face and frozen state of everyone around.

“I never thought I'd see you all again,” She muttered, tears running down her cheeks.

Davina was the first to break down in tears, gripping her shoulders as she embraced her.

Theo ran to the coffin and threw his large arms around both of them. She shifted her teary eyes to me, sobbing.

Tears flowed down with a rush. I swallowed the small distance with a single stride, and my arms wrapped around all three of them, placing a kiss on Cirilla's forehead.

By the time we pulled away, the crowd had recovered from the shock.

“What the hell happened? You… we all saw you. How is this possible?” Neela, still frozen in shock, muttered and everyone's curious gazes traveled back to Cirilla.

“You wouldn't believe me even if I told you,” She said, searching through the crowd as Theo scooped her up from the coffin. “Though it's a pretty long story, and I promise I'll get right to it, but first, where's Asher? Why isn't he here?”

The crowd grew quiet once more, and her face creased into fear and confusion. Her eyes darted between Davina and me. “Did something happen to my mate?”

*****

Cirilla's Point Of View

“Did something happen to my mate?” I asked slowly, my mind spiraling out of control as I took in the grim expression of everyone.

My eyes met with Dad's. “Did something happen to Asher?”

“He's… He's in bad shape sweetheart. You should go meet him. I think he needs to see you,”

My heart sank. “Where is he?”

The instant the words left Theo's lips, I zoomed off. Heading straight to the vampire's quarters. I took the hallways that led down to the underground bunkers, my heartbeat erratic, pounding in my ears.

I couldn't be at ease, all I wanted was to see Asher. To let him know I was back. And I was never leaving ever again. I needed him to hear those words.

I entered the bunkers as soon as I got down the stairway. The first thing that came into view was Wren and Stefan. They had their backs to me, standing near the steel doors. I didn't have to see their faces, I could smell their fears in the air, and it was accompanied by a loud animalistic growl that effortlessly sent shivers down my spine. It belonged to Asher.

It was like an arrow straight to my heart. Piercing me, murdering me and each step I took closer sent my heart racing with dread and my entire body stiffened the instant my eyes slipped past Wren and Stefan. The sight before me destroyed me.

I pulled my hand to my lips, gasping, causing Wren and Stefan to whip their heads backward and go into shock seeing me. But my eyes didn't move from Asher. It was a horrible sight. He was completely out of control.

My very terrifying-looking mate, sweat glazed over his body. His hair was disheveled. His nostrils flared, eyes glowing a mixture of bloodshot red and dark, and canine's extended. His wrists and neck were bound with chains that were held together by Daemon, Mitch, Carter, and Hendrick. They were struggling to pin him against the wall, their bodies having several cuts and claw marks.

In a second, he managed to free one of his hands, gripping Hendrick by the neck and throwing him against the walls. He turned to Mitch next but Daemon partly in his demon form pounced on him.

“Asher,” I whispered, more to myself, but they all heard it, causing the chaos going on inside to pause. Everyone froze, their heads turning to me.

But yet again, my eyes remained on Asher. He was still rooted on his spot, but had let go of Mitch with his back turned to me.

I took a few more steps closer until I was standing next to Daemon whose dark eyes also held shock in them.

“Could you please leave him alone with me?” I asked, tears pouring from my eyes.

Daemon recovered quickly, sending a glance to Asher, and then to the rest of the guys, and quickly they retreated.

I heard the doors close behind them, and I was left alone with Asher. His completely dark eyes on me had now turned to me, unmoving.

I took a step forward, and as if in instinct, he backed away immediately until he was against the wall.

“No. No. This isn't real,” He pulled his hands to his hair, grabbing a handful, the darkness within his bloodshot eyes swirling.

I closed the heartbreaking distance between us, standing right in front of him. “It's me, Asher. I'm real. I'm back,”

“No. You're dead. You're gone. This is a fucking illusion. You left me,” He shut his eyes.

I placed both of my hands on his wrists, his words tearing me apart. A flock of electrifying tingles took flight the second our skin connected. “Do you feel that? This isn't an illusion. It's real. I'm back Asher. And I'm never leaving you. Please come back to me Asher. Please,”

Slowly, his eyes snapped open and they cautiously took me in. His eyes were still a mixture of bloodshot red, black, and yellow. He was sharing control with Azalea and Ryker. The depths of his eyes are full of confusion, pain, and denial. I moved my hand to his face, brushing back his damp hair, sparks igniting every touch.

“Ci?” He called my name in a broken voice. And I nodded, more tears flowing down. “Princess?” He called again and I kept nodding. “You died,” I nodded, my vision completely blurry. “They took you away from me,”

“They shouldn't have,” I muttered, placing my forehead against his. “I'm sorry I caused you so much pain,” I was about to pull away but he pulled me closer to feel my heartbeat.

“Hold me, please. Don't say a word, just hold me. I need to know this is real,” Tears marched down his eyes.

I kissed his forehead, and then the tip of his nose, and then I pressed my lips to his. And a breath of gasp left his lips. “This is real Asher,” I kissed him again. “Every second of this moment is real. So please, come back to me,” I whispered against his lips.

Slowly, his bloodshot eyes and dark eyes began to turn into his usual emerald green ones.

“That's it,” I kissed him, pulling away a little to gaze into his eyes.

“I thought I had lost you,”

“You never will,” I replied as his large hands cupped my face, his lips swallowing mine in one hungry-filled kiss. I matched the intensity of his kisses with mine. One of his hands came down my waist and he hoisted me up, pinning me against his body and my legs naturally wrapped around his waist, never breaking from his lips.

He pressed me against the wall, kissing me senseless.

The intensity of electricity that exploded inside of me undid me completely, awakening a raw desire within me as I moaned into his kisses. He tested better than ever. His kiss was dominating and fierce, and my arousal started leaking between my legs now wrapped around his waist.

One of his hands reached my head as it tangled into my blonde hair, deepening the kiss. I moaned desperately against his divine lips, and as his tongue licked the center of my mouth, requesting access, my lips parted dutifully.

Fireworks exploded in my mind as our tongues danced together. I felt his other hand move up on my dress, caressing every inch of my body, as if trying to imprint each in his memory.

I moaned at the sparks building, my hands fisted on his soft damp hair, growing minds of their own and they began to run down his neck, his broad shoulders, and down to his chest. He pressed into me harder, mixing pleasure with pain as I was trapped between his perfectly sculpted body and the wall.

Without permission or warning, he ripped my dress off my body and I was completely bare before him. His luscious lips resumed their work on mine as he cupped my breast and rolled his thumb over one of my nipples, causing a muffled gasp to escape my lips. He growled, and I could feel his dick growing harder against my center.

He pulled his lips away from mine, leaning slightly and taking my hardened nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirling around the bud and a shock of pleasure went straight to my core.

I was panting heavily against his stronghold. I never wanted this moment to end.

In one swift move, he ripped my panties off and lifted my thighs, positioning them on both sides of his shoulders. The instant his tongue plunged inside of me, I moaned loudly in pleasure, arching my back against the wall of the bunkers and tugging a handful of his hair with my hand.

“Fuck, Ash!” I cried out in pleasure as his tongue stroked me, and lapped me up. His large hands gripped both of my butt cheeks firmly as my hips began to buck spontaneously. My hold on his hair tightened as he thrust a finger into me, matching the rhythm of his tongue.

I felt myself reaching my climax and with one last moan, my legs trembled and quaked on his shoulders.

“Ash,” I closed my eyes, panting, allowing my mind and body to calm from the intense pleasure I was feeling.

“Shh,” I felt Asher's lips on mine, kissing me softly. “Save your breath, I'm just getting started,”

I opened my eyes to see a devilish grin playing on his lips and instantly, he ripped his pants off him, releasing his giant erection, and with one swift slide he thrust himself into me.

I groaned, my legs around his waist tightening and my nails digging deep into his muscular back.

“Mine,” He growled in my ear as he slid out, only to thrust back in harder, and without warning or permission I felt his sharp canines but down into my neck, marking me all over again.

I moaned aloud at the pleasurable sensation bathing me as he wrapped his arms around my waist, caressing my back as he dug himself further into me.

“Asher, oh goddess!” I cried out in pleasure as his pace increased and he was pumping into me hard and unrelenting.

“That's it, princess, say my name,” He breathed against my lips, and he captured them, kissing me wild.

“Asher!” I cried out again as he started circling his hips, pumping into me again. My nails are already leaving marks on his back. “I'm close,” I screamed.

“Come for me,” His voice was soaked with lust and desire.

I was a moaning mess already as the intensity was too much to bear. With one last thrust from him, he reached his climax, and I fell apart in his arms while he groaned out my name.

“Ash…” I was out of breath.

“I love you, Cirilla,” He breathed against my neck, kissing his fresh mark. “I love you so much,” He whispered, pulling me impossibly closer and I could feel his hot tears fall on my skin. “You are my world. My very life,” He kissed my neck again and I tightened my hold around his neck, tears rushing. “Don't ever leave me, please,”

“I won't,” I kissed the top of his head. “It's a promise,”