The next in line

"I am sorry," Ziana mumbled as she recovered from the shock. But that wasn't the end.

She frantically held the knife and pulled it out of his stomach, making him scream loudly.

"Are you crazy?" He grumbled, his face twisting in pain as Ziana held the bloody knife.

Her puppy eyes looked at the sharp edge stained with blood and then at his wounded stomach. Wait, what did she just do?

"Argh, this hurts like hell." Zayden groaned and slumped on the couch beside him. He held his bleeding waist and glared at his loving wife. This lady was making him experience every human emotion. And this pain was not something he ever wanted to try.

"Go bring a doctor!" He yelled as Ziana innocently looked at him, lost in a pool of questions.

"But you aren't supposed to bleed." Ziana murmured looking at his bleeding stomach. His off-white hoodie was stained red and she couldn't figure out why.

He was dead already. So why was he bleeding?

Zayden scoffed at her before shouting, "You crazy woman! Call and treat this first!". She was really enjoying this torture.

Ziana blinked and then shook her head. No, why would she call someone when he could just heal himself? He had powers, magic, and all that supernatural stuff. Isn't he?

"This would become a police case. So, heal yourself." Ziana answered his frown with a straight face. No, she could not afford to have a criminal record under her name.

Zayden glared at her and shouted, "Call a doctor soon!"

This excruciating pain was making his human body weak and his eyes could barely stay open, which he hated the most. Why was this fricking painful?

"No!" Ziana stubbornly shook her head. No, not even if he dies here. His body would just evaporate since he was a dead creature. Wouldn't it? So she need not worry about burying him in her backyard.

This crazy woman!

Zayden glared at her in frustration. Seriously, she was a bad choice!

"Xav, come to Ziana's home now!" He ordered Xavier through his mind who was currently being a loyal son to his annoying mother at some mortal party.

'What's wrong?'

"My dear wife stabbed me." He answered glaring at Ziana who stared at him in confusion.

Crossing her arms, Ziana asked, "Why can't you heal yourself?".

"I don't have such powers."

"Ah, so you are powerless."

So you are just a pompous guy? That was how she looked at him and Zayden gritted his teeth at her words. He sneered when she even nodded in an attempt to understand his plight.

This bitch! How dare she call him powerless? He would rip her heart out for such audacity.

"Well then, let's wait for your mate." She added, and what raged him the most was her pity look.

--

[A few hours later.]

Ziana sat in the hospital with a panicking heart. She glanced at the cops staring at her as Lia explained the situation to them and bit her nails anxiously.

When Zayden called Xavier, she was expecting his afterlife people to arrive and treat him. Instead, an ambulance arrived at her house and they dragged her along with her wounded husband.

She just hoped Kate would come soon and stay with her. All these people who accompanied Xavier were giving her weird looks and she felt like running away.

Ziana got up from her seat when Lia finished talking with the cops and walked toward her.

"I am sorry for the trouble." She apologized again with a deep bow making Lia sigh out loud.

"I already said it was fine since you acted out of defense." She patted the poor girl's shoulder and smiled. "That demon might try to reach you again so just be around me or Xavier until we leave this hospital."

"We will figure out a way to stop these attacks once Zayden's mother arrives here." Lia added making Ziana's eyes widen in shock.

His mother? Did these creatures value such connections?

"Well, grim reapers need to adapt to your lifestyle and environment in this world. And their bodies will resemble and function like yours." With a smile, Lia continued, "So please keep this in mind when you try something on him next time."

Ziana nodded and then shook her head after realizing her words. "No, I would never touch him again." She assured her.

Lia chuckled at her cute reaction. She just didn't understand how Zayden could curse such an innocent being. He had been grumbling and blaming her in the operation theatre giving a hard time to the poor doctors.

Ziana smiled inwardly after discovering his weakness. So he was nothing less than a mere human? That means, if he ever dares to bully her, she could peel off his skin and enjoy seeing him cry in pain. And that thought widened her grin.

"He is fine now." Xavier said rushing to them and Ziana came out of her evil thoughts. He glared at her and she stared back at him.

Dude! Be grateful that I didn't stab every part of his human body. She wanted to yell but controlled her emotions.

"Where is he now?" Lia asked standing between them and tried to protect Ziana from Xavier's wrath.

"They have shifted him to the private ward." Xavier replied looking at Lia and later sighed. Scratching his brow, he added, "He wants to see Lady Winter right now."

"For what good reason?" An enchanting voice caught everyone's attention and they turned around in surprise.

A woman followed by two men walked through the corridor. She stared at them before turning to Ziana who gulped nervously. Her aura was dark and intimidating enough to make her little mind scream in terror.

Lady Winter smiled at her making Ziana's racing heart calm down. Her expression was soothing and warm that she unknowingly smiled back at her.

"Lady Winter." Lia and Xavier bowed bringing Ziana back to reality.

Wait. Was this lady Zayden's mother?

"Yes, I am." Lady Winter answered her question with a smile. She chuckled seeing her eyes widen and joked, "And also your mother-in-law."

Ziana's face flushed with embarrassment. She awkwardly blinked, and then slightly bowed to her. Unlike the other two, she was busy admiring her beauty that she forgot to greet her.

"Let's deal with him first." Lady Winter's expression changed and Xavier nodded gesturing her toward the private ward.

Lia sighed as she left and so did Ziana. They both just hoped for her mood to stay stable after meeting that damn guy.

--

Zayden's ward.

"Kill that bitch and drag her to hell!"

That was the first thing Zayden said as soon as his humble mother walked into the room. His head felt dizzy because of the drugs those morons injected into him and the white bandage around his waist only worsened his rage. But her words from earlier still taunted him and he wished to crush her alive.

"Sadly, I cannot." Lady Winter answered taking a seat beside him.

"You should wear some clothes!" She scolded with a frown as he lay shirtless. Fortunately, he didn't skip his pants either.

"I cannot live with her. Find me someone else." Zayden asked ignoring her words.

No, Ziana was no fun. And he didn't wish to see her face again.

"That's not possible."

"Then I won't complete this mission. Go get another son to find your precious stone." Zayden grumbled crossing his arms.

Lady Winter sighed out loud. She was tired of his tantrums and decided to break the bad news. All her doubts were cleared and even the Lords of Heaven finally permitted her to share it with everyone.

Taking a breath, Lady Winter started, "A witch belonging to one of the parallel worlds ripped the portals of the demon dimension. She had even disrupted the gates of the multiverse with her magic. It had evoked the creatures of darkness and they are now escaping through these disruptions."

When Xavier and Zayden looked at her in shock, she continued, "They are even rupturing the gates and creating havoc across the parallel worlds. And since this world is one of the most vulnerable ones, we are trying to permanently shut down all the gates connected to this human world."

Heaving another heavy sigh, she said, "But only that stone can close these ripped gates permanently and protect humans from demons."

"And workers of Heaven believe that we grim reapers are the suitable candidates to protect humans and also find that stone." Looking at Zayden, Lady Winter added, "That's why we all elders of the afterlife sent you guys here."

"So it's like a demon apocalypse era now." Zayden asked and sighed as his mother nodded. He had seen many eras, but this was new to him.

"And how is Ziana related to all this mess?" Xavier asked as her role was pretty unclear. "I am sure you didn't tie them just to keep your promise to General Kaylan."

"A mind demon even attacked her." Xavier added when Lady Winter stayed quiet and Zayden frowned. When did that happen?

"Is it the one which ruptured our gate?" Xavier asked again and even Zayden looked at her in doubt.

Lady Winter closed her eyes and sighed out loud. The Lords of Hell warned her to keep it secret until they were sure. But she couldn't hide it from them anymore.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at Zayden and answered, "She is the next-in-line defender."

"What?!"