I Don't Care if the Necklace Fits! I'd Rather Not be Kidnapped by Immortals!

Chapter Forty

“Yes! I did it!” I exclaimed triumphantly. It had been a few days since my last encounter with Nuri and Ray and I decided it was safe to go back to the place where I’d been before. I used the necklace to get there, with a few doubts in my mind that we’d be able to make it there. But my victorious smile didn’t last long. When we saw the house before us, it was nothing but ash and rubble anymore.

“Damn. This was pointless.” Ray stated. I nodded, fingering the chain of my necklace. Tears pricked my eyes. I was afraid that if we poked through the rubble and ash, we’d find ashes that were once my friends. Friends that had sacrificed their lives for me, nonetheless. Ray realized the emotion immediately and grabbed me by the shoulders.

“I hope they’re okay.” I said, not meeting his firm gaze.

“Triv, will you listen to me? This is not your fault. There was nothing you could have done to stop all of this, do you hear me?” He assured. I met his eyes with guilt in my own.

“I know,” I sighed. I would have argued, but that’s how it has been with him these few days. Something would set me off, I’d start to cry, and he’d drill it into my head that none of this could have been avoided and that it wasn’t my fault. And the more I objected, the meaner he got about it. That was Ray for you. So protesting against him? Yeah, not the best idea.

“Add a girl,” He cooed, pulling me into a hug.

“Let’s go home.” I said softly, grabbing the necklace and watching my surroundings change back to the apartment. In that moment that I watched my surroundings change back to one that was familiar, I prayed that Ari, Kayne, and Kavan were okay.

“Triv, there’s gotta be something we can do, now.” Ray urged, suddenly. I stared at him.

“Well, I don’t really know.” I stated, furrowing my brow.

“That’s because there’s nothing you can do, now,” A voice said from the other side of the room. I turned and glared.

“Pervert, what the hell are you doing here?” I hissed. Ray grabbed my waist and pulled me into him in a protective, brotherly way.

“Didn’t you dump this worthless piece of trash’s ass a long time back?” Ray inquired.

“I did. Now get the fuck out of here before I beat you to a bloody pulp.” I spat. Ryan just stared at me with an amused grin playing on his face.

“Oh, will you, now?” He challenged. I glared daggers at him, and played a vivid image of me knocking his teeth out in my head. All of the sudden he was spitting bloody teeth onto Ray’s carpet. I smirked. I was getting a lot better at using this necklace without touching it.

“Fucking bitch.” He growled. “You’ll wish you never got that fucking necklace.” I smiled innocently at him. Then Nuri appeared behind him and my playfulness died on the spot. Fear welled up inside me.

“She got you good, Ryan.” Nuri remarked. “Was it that right hook?” Ryan glared at him and spat more of his teeth out. “Oh, Victrivia, you’ll never guess who I brought along to come see you!” Nuri feigned excitement and snapped his fingers. Before me appeared Kavan, whipped and bruised and beaten. I waited to see his chest rise with a breath, but it didn’t happen. My knees went weak, and if Ray hadn’t been holding me, legs would have given in beneath me. Tears rolled down my cheeks and they burned like acid as I stared at my selfless dead friend.

“Y-you’re a monster.” I choked, looking up at Nuri with teary eyes. He laughed at my insult and shrugged it off as if I’d told him that his shirt was ugly.

“Now, the necklace, if you’d please?” He asked, holding his hand out as if I were going to give it to him. I clutched the necklace and glared at his hand, willing it to burn as if it were drenched in battery acid.

“Goddamnit!” He shrieked. I grabbed Ray’s arm and willed us to be with Ari. When it didn’t work, I went to me and Elliot’s secret hiding place where I’d hidden from everyone. When we were safe in the dim light of the flashlight that was still there, I started balling in Ray’s arms.

“He killed Kavan!” I wailed. Ray just rubbed my back and shushed me.

“I know, Triv, I know. He’s a horrible, horrible, creature.” He cooed.

“And he’s going to keep killing them! He’ll pick them off one by one, Ray, and then it’ll just be me and you left! Then he’ll k-kill you, too! And a-after that, he’s gonna take the necklace a-and he’s gonna kill me!” I wept. Ray just rubbed my back and continued his sweet cooings. Eventually I quieted and he continued rubbing my back. Just as I was about to fall asleep, he lightly kissed my forehead.

“Sleep well, honey.” He whispered into my ear. Then I heard him mutter “Hopefully we’ll have good dreams. Our lives are already nightmares.”

“Sweet. Get up.” A voice that I’d been dying to hear said.

“Kavan?” I called, happily. He smiled brilliantly and I squealed, enveloping him in a giant hug. “How did you get here?” I inquired.

“Sweet, with the power of both Elliot and I, we can do just about anything. Visiting you in a time of need is just one thing.” He explained.

“Elliot’s here, too?” I asked.

“No, sweet. He just helped get me here.” He informed.

“Oh.” I’m not gonna lie. I was kind of disappointed.

“I need you to do me a favor, Triv.” He said seriously. I looked up at him, urging him on. “I need you to hold on to that goddamn necklace of yours and never let go, do you hear me? I swear, if you give that necklace to Nuri, I would’ve died for no reason at all.” He demanded. I nodded.

“Kavan?” I called. He looked up at me, expectantly. “Where’s Ari? And Kayne?” I asked. He grinned down at me.

“They’re right under your nose, sweet. In the woods that you’re in, somewhere. I’m not quite sure anymore…” he trailed off.

“Kavan?” I called again.

“What is it, sweet?” he inquired.

“I’m so sorry.” I apologized. He smirked.

“Don’t sweat it, darling. Just don’t you dare give up that pretty little necklace to him, you hear me?”

I’d heard him, all right. I woke up and sat completely still. There was someone else here. And Ray was still sleeping.

“Triv?” A raspy voice whispered.

“Ari?” I called, in shock.

“I told you it was her!” Kayne whisper-shouted.

“Guys!” I whisper-squealed, enveloping them both in giant hugs. I was so excited to know they were okay.

“…Or not.” Nuri’s voice answered. Ari changed into Nuri and Kayne changed into Ryan. I was about to scream, but Nuri grabbed my arm and we were taken back to the house I’d lived in with the guys and Carsyn for the longest time in half a second. When I looked at the couch, my legs gave in. Kay sat there, her body twisted in a way that wasn’t humanly possible. She was dead, without a doubt, and her crystal blue eyes stared right where I was standing, her mouth open wide, mid-scream. I covered my eyes with my hands and tried to wipe away the image, but it burned on the inside of my eyelids. I could still see the frightened look in her eyes. How confused and scared she’d felt the moment before he killed her. I opened my eyes to see Nuri’s legs before me.

“How do you sleep at night?” I gasped.

“I have this thing where I don’t have a conscience.” He joked. It wasn’t funny. “Now, the necklace if you please?” he held his hand out again. It was burned from my battery acid incident. This time I willed his balls to feel that way.

“FUCK!” He cursed as I grabbed the necklace and made a third getaway. This time I was off to my old highschool. If he looked for me there, he was the smartest person on this Earth.

I appeared in the pool room. I remembered what Ari had told me. If the feelings are gone, then they no longer share power. My love for Nuri may or may not be there. I couldn’t tell you. He’d killed all the people close to me, save for three, but he was my first real love. I’d been as much in love with him as I had been in love with Elliot. But I knew that if I kept this on, the rest of those I loved would die and it would be down to Nuri and I. I couldn’t let that happen. It had to stop now. I knew what I had to do.

I sat down and held my head in my hands and felt a sob shake my entire body. I busted out, balling my eyes out. I never even thought all those years ago when this started, that my life would lead to this. I could care less about saving the world from demons and angels who were pissed at each other. That wasn’t even close to what I felt right now. Betrayal. Hurt. Fury. Yet, somewhere, deep down there, I was happy. I was having the time of my life because of this, and only this. When I finish this, Elliot will be waiting there for me. Knowing this, gave me the strength to do it. I tied two metal chairs to my legs with the rope that symbolized where the shallow water met the deep. I grabbed the necklace and willed us both to have the same vital state. My heart raced, and I knew he was confused. I took a deep breath and jumped into 9 feet of water. My vision blurred and my heart raced and my lungs burned, but my last thoughts were reciting Elliot’s last words to me.

If there is one thing that I will never understand, it would be how I ended up being so goddamn lucky to have you all to myself. You couldn’t even comprehend how strongly I love you, babe.

THE END.