Chapter Three

The warmth of my coffee cup still lingers in my hand. Drops of beige coffee drips down my legs, ruining my heels. Around me are the shattered pieces of a mug; shattered, just like my life, just like the night I lost everything.  I run from the room, from the hideous things that haunt me. I hate it. He was a monster. He betrayed me, betrayed all of us. He did it,  he ruined the only good thing that I ever found in this godforsaken place. They say that sinners go to hell after death, but no one ever tells the truth. This is hell. Everyday we walk through a bleak and unforgiving world, unconscious to it hideous truths. 

''Nix! Nix hold on!!" the husky voice of the only breathing thing I trust calls. Rider was there when my eyes opened, he comforted me in the long nights following, he wiped away my tears of sorrow and pain. He made this world worth it.

 

I take off my heels  and throw them against the mirror, showing me the truth. I hate the truth. When i look in that mirror, I see a broken girl. One with many hidden scars. The second shoe shattered the mirror into millions of pieces, tiny engagements of the truth scatter on the polished brown wooded floors. 

I start running the tap on my bath tub, my skin pulses as burning hot water rushes over my feet. I'm suffocating on smoke. Everyday my lungs fill, coughing brings me to my knees. I can control fire, I don't feel the pain of the flames dancing across skin; but I feel smoke, I taste smoke. Its not normal smoke, no, its the smoke of the monsters that ruined everything, that made me into their own broken mirror.  I guess we get what we deserve.

My vision was blurred from all the smoke, and my lungs burned. My hand was buried under roofing, and ash.

I coughed, sending spirals ,fragments of dust into the air. I used my free hand, and pushed, screaming in pain as the blocks slide off my poor hand. Something was broken, or fractured.  I laid on my back, starring at the morning sky, a place where a roof should've been, unable to believe that I had made it, I had lived. I dragged myself off the ground, fighting back screams of pain. At least I was standing. I tried to take one step, and stumbled, shocked at the pain in my leg. I looked down and realized that blood oozed out of a cut, and matched one on my arm. I limped towards the door, struggling to open it. I used what ever strength I could muster, and pushed. On the other side, burned logs, and chard bricks slid away, tumbling down the steps. I used the railing to keep me up right as I made my way to the torn up land. 

I tripped over a dead fallen angel, and went sprawling to the ground. My head struck the earth, and landed in a cold puddle of blood. Whose blood was it? I wondered is it corals? Fabians, Mark , Rippir, mine? It wasn't black like the fallen angels, so it must be human. I curled, and uncurled my fingers repeatedly, stirring the blood and creating a swirling pattern in it. My blurry eyes scanned the yard, and through all the darkness of the mud, burned trees, and ashes. Light from the rising sun shone on something. Through my foggy eyes, I was able to make out a shape of a human, and the color of a green shirt

''Mark!!' I cried. I crawled towards him, not even noticing the blood that dripped from my face. ''Its okay Mark, we're okay. You and I, w-we're gonna get out of here. I don't know where we'll go. I'll take you home, t-take you home to your mom. And me, I'll find them, I'll find our family. It's okay Marky,I'm here, I got you-'' my breath halted in my throat, and someone screamed. Maybe me. 

When I rolled Mark over, his eyes were open and lifeless. 

''Mark?!'' it wasn't true ''Marky no wake up, c'mon Mark, wake up!' I yelled at him over and over again, louder each time. Rippir was suppose to protect him! No, this wasn't Mark, this is just my air deprived brain making this up. Mark is safe with Rippir. I just need to...

Red tears dropped onto his cheek, running down the side, and taking away a streak of dirt.  That f*****g b*****d! I know Rippir did this. I thought to myself.

''Mark... I'm so sorry. This, this is all my fault. I trusted him, I let him bring you here. I never should've of left you, I-I was suppose to protect you.'' I balled, my head dropping onto his chest, I breathed in his scent, wishing to god that we could just go back, go back two more days, two more months back. I would change everything. I wouldn't let Rippir bring him or Coral, I would just throw Rippir to the Fallen Angels, I never would have trusted Fabian...

I never would have left Mark.

Behind me, twigs cracked. I whipped around, and shot out a streak of fire. It was weak, just like me. Above me in the sunlight stood a guy. Black jeans scuffed with dirt, a knick of blood on his strong cheek bones, remnants of smiles highlight his warm features.

''Hello beautiful. Looks like you had a major raver last night'' he joked. I pushed myself up, shielding Mark from the possible danger. Look at me, Marks dead and I cant stop protecting him.    

''mmmm, let me give you a replay'' I snapped, and with a flick of my wrist, I shot a ball of fire at him, taking out what ever  had left. He was able to conjure up water, and put the flame out. He rushed to me as I crumbled to the ground in exhaustion. He caught me seconds before I hit the ground. I was swept away, with one last request whispered on my lips. ''The hearse. I need something, one thing from each''

when I woke up, the room was dark, all lights off except for the lamp beside my bed. The same guy sat at my side, hope and worry in his eyes. A lady moved around me, wrapping wounds in bandages, and with a wave of her hand, healing the pain in my wrist.''The hell...?'' I mumbled, startled at  her ability

''Shes a healer. They become even rarer every century'' The guy with the green eyes informs me

''where am I?'' I ask, not recognizing the room

''Your new bedroom in the Lunar Mansion- your mansion.'' Greeny told me,a year later, and I now have the complete cooperation of the 35 half demons in this house. The Lunar Mansions are the thought to be used only as a calendar system in ancient cultures, but really, the Lunar Mansions are big estates full of marble floors, and big pillars to hold up the pretentious roof. For half-demons who are being hunted by the fallen, the Lunar Mansions are places to hide, and gain control of your power in our various dank underground training rooms. Long fire proof tunnels run under neath the grounds, Olympic sized pools- both salt and fresh water- add a calming reflection of light to the yard. Dense trees that go for miles hide the use of any weather that is controlled. Back far off is gardens fulled with herbs that Earth Demons can control. Healers practice on bodies given to us with the help of past lodgers- all gained control and decided to live their lives in the human world. Libraries with selves that reach the high ceilings fill up several rooms, filled with history of demons, half demons, and fallen angels. Anything that involves us. Houses are scattered among the giant piece of land I own, giving privacy to both me and others who live here. 

when I leave the bath room, wrapped in a big fluffy white housecoat, Rider waits for me on my bed. Worry in his eyes.

''you okay?'' he asks me, turning over a piece of the mirror in his soft hands.

''of course.'' I say, not letting a single emotion show

''Nix, you can be honest with me,you know that''

''I do. And I was honest. I cant lie to you'' I give him a small smile. None of my smiles are ever real anymore. 

''What was it?'' 

''The newspaper. Remember my friend on death row?''  friend wasn't the right word, he was my friend, but not anymore.I don't what he is now, that he killed Mark. 

''Yea, what about him? They announce his death?''

''months ago, he was dead a month after it all happened. But it was a lie. A killer is making its way towards us, leaving dead bodies in his path''

''i heard about that, you think it's him?''

''yes. He's been killing all boys, all brown haired, green eyed boys. ''

''Sounds like the Mark guy you told me about...''

''exactly. And marks here with me-us. That b*****d is coming for mark...''