Sapphyre: Rise of an Angel (Sapphyre Saga Book 3) Read online

  Sapphyre

  Rise of an Angel

  Felicia F. Leibenguth

  Sapphyre: Rise of an Angel Copyright © 2018 Felicia F. Leibenguth

  www.FeliciaLeibenguth.weebly.com

  Cover design by Felicia F. Leibenguth

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 9781719941501

  This is a work of fiction.

  Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  For the brother I never got to meet.

  You are always remembered and loved.

  A child of dark,

  a child of light,

  will collide while the sun is night.

  One will fall,

  the other rise,

  the war is over,

  now’s the time.

  Keep it safe,

  for it’s not done.

  this life just begun.

  Death

  The story of my life had just begun as a Lavama and now I fear it’s about to end.

  Tightly bound with ropes around my wrists, hanging from the ceiling, and my ankles bound being pulled to the floor, I feel my tears stream down my face. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to act that way toward Donavon. I knew he was only goading me into doing what he wanted, but he went too far and I snapped. I’ve had plenty of time to think it over and regret every moment of it. I just wish I had the chance to apologize to him and everyone else before I’m killed, or not have run off in the first place because of my own horror at myself. Then I wouldn’t have ended up in this predicament.

  I honestly feel like giving up, just stop fighting and give in. What would be the point in fighting? No matter how hard I fight to escape, what would honestly be the point? The world I am supposed to save just wants me dead anyway, so why should I fight to save them? The only ones I care about all have each other for support if I die. Katrina has Donavon and her brother Thomas, Zach has his parents, and Mom and Dad have Bree, I know she will keep them safe no matter what happens to me now. It will probably make all their lives much easier if I never return. Of course they will miss me and I’d miss them, but they will be better off without me.

  As my tears drip to the floor, the door behind me opens, spreading light through the darkness around me. It’s a circular room with long rectangular mirrors lining the walls. I’m sure they are one way mirrors as I always hear many low voices coming from behind them. I can never really make out any one voice; I just know they all enjoy watching me be tortured.

  I face the mirrors with my back to the open door and I don’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing my tears. I keep my face down the best I can as I look at my own pool of blood on the floor. I hear the person approaching behind me swinging something metal in his hands. I hear the metal rubbing together; I assume it is some sort of chain. At this point, I really don’t care what it is as long as they just finish me off.

  I’m in enough pain already from the horrors of what they’d done to me earlier. My clothes hang in shreds off my body, soaked in my blood that still drips to the floor from the last time they tortured me. My blood doesn’t draw my attention anymore. There is so much of it around me that I’ve gotten used to the smell. My hair is caked to my head from my bloody wounds, my shoulders feel out of place being over my head, holding all my weight… for how long exactly? I don’t know if it’s day or night or even how long I have been here. I’m weak with hunger and blood loss. All my strength and extra senses are dulled by my situation. I feel… almost normal, what used to be my human self. But the pain… I want death, nothing more, and nothing less.

  The person steps in front of me and I slowly lift my head to look them in the eyes, pleading, begging. As usual, the person is covered from head to toe in a green robe with the hood covering their entire face. It’s beyond me how they see through the hood. I remember this one from earlier. Tall male, with a soft, yet harsh voice, but if I don’t answer the questions… I’ll be punished.

  I’ll take the punishment before speaking a word.

  “Where are the others?” he asked.

  I refuse to reply.

  He raises his hand with the chains like I anticipated. But on these chains are three inch metal spikes. It’s a whip. Each time they have come, they have a new toy to play with.

  “Last chance,” he said quietly.

  I stare at him with hard eyes, refusing once again.

  “Have it your way,” he whips me across the torso, slicing and shredding my already tender, wounded flesh.

  I refuse to scream, refuse to give them any satisfaction in my abuse.

  “Where is your leader?”

  They have asked this many times and I have yet to figure out what it means. But I never answer.

  Another slash, crossing the other.

  Tears stream once more as I grit my teeth in agony.

  “What do you want from us?” he demands.

  I look deep into his robe darkened face and whisper softly for the first time since being brought here, “Death.”

  I hear the smile in his voice when he says, “Now we’re getting somewhere.” Then he snaps his fingers and another robed figure steps forward. This one is smaller in stature and they carry a new toy of theirs. This new toy...

  “Please…” I whisper again closing my eyes, “kill me.”

  In the darkness of my closed eyes, a figure appears. They come closer and closer until I see their full form. My eyes become watery with the beautiful vision of my love, my beautiful Zach. He’s transparent but still beautiful. His face lights up when he sees me. He comes closer until he is standing in front of me.

  Raising his hand to my face, he whispers smiling, “I found you.”

  I lean into the hand that has brought me so much comfort and joy on so many occasions. He is surprisingly warm and soft.

  A tear streams down my face, longing to hug him again before I die.

  He wipes away the tear with his thumb. “I love you.”

  “I love you more,” I whisper in a weak voice with all the strength I have.

  He smiles the sexy grin I love so much, and suddenly his form starts to flicker.

  Zach’s face falls with a grimace of pain as he collapses to the floor. He writhes in agony screaming out.

  “Zach!” I scream with all I have. “ZACH!”

  He continues to scream and curl into a ball of torment. Suddenly a light, as bright as looking into the sun itself, burst from his body. It lasts several seconds. As the light dissipates I see he’s in his wolf form lying on his side. He looks at me and lets out one last howl of extreme agony. Then his body goes limp, his dark eyes remain open, showing no life as they look at me. They are empty of his soul, and I know he is gone.

  “ZAAACH!” I wail. I want to run to him, to shake him, to wake him up, something. “Zach… please!” I beg struggling against my restraints.

  A burning begins in my chest, and it intensifies to an unbearable level…

  My heart suddenly burst within my chest and I scream out.

  Zach’s body shimmers away from the floor. He is gone, his soul no longer remains and a huge part of me leaves with him. “Zach…” I whisper, “I love you.” Tears stream down my cheeks. There is nothing left for me. My soul mate, my life is gone. There is no reason left for me to live. I feel the light leave my eyes the moment Zach died. I no longer exist, as far as the world knows, Lexi Darson is dead. I will never be the same… I just want to die.

  Zach, I
will be with you soon…

  Suddenly, another figure appears.

  Katrina?

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper to her hoping she can hear me.

  “Lexi?” she asked surprised.

  “I never meant for any of this to happen. Forget about me…” My voice is trailing off. My mind shutting down ready to leave this world.

  “Never!” she replies before disappearing.

  Fire explodes on my back, forcing me to open my now dead eyes. The world looks gray to me now, void of color as tears still run.

  I don’t scream in pain, there is no point. I don’t care what they do to me now.

  Another burst of flame breaks out on my back.

  I don’t move as I’ve already gone through the most painful thing possible, nothing else can touch me now. I just hope Katrina heard my message.

  “Stop!” a voice demands from in front of me. It’s the man’s from before.

  He comes up to me and lifts my face roughly. I can’t see his face, but I can feel his eyes examining me.

  “She’s been broken. We can safely move her to a cell now, I’m sure she will tell us anything we want.”

  The rope holding me up is slacking as I’m being lowered to the ground. Once I feel the ground under my feet, I collapse. I have no strength or even the desire to stand as I crumple to the floor in a heap. I feel so cold, so lost, and alone.

  “Bring a gurney,” a woman yelled out the door.

  People stand around me, but they all keep their distance.

  I hear the squeaky wheels of the bed coming in the room. Several of the robed figures come closer untying my bound limbs. Each one then grabs an arm or leg and hoists me onto the hard bed. The pain in my shoulders is almost unbearable, but I have other things on my mind that distract me.

  “Tie those tight,” someone said as straps are placed on my wrists and ankles.

  “I don’t really think she’s going anywhere,” a soft voiced woman said. She almost sounds sympathetic.

  “Don’t let her fool you. You remember Xavier don’t you?”

  “I do,” she whispered submissively.

  I hear nothing else between the two. The name Xavier brings back a memory from some time ago. That night Katrina and I were in the woods with the group of Vampires. The one kept calling Donavon, Xavier… But they can’t be talking about him… can they?

  I lose that thought to the excruciating pain as I’m forced to lay on my charred back, looking up at the ceiling. I don’t have the strength to move, or shift myself. The restraints they placed on me are so tight, I doubt I could move if I tried.

  Lights pass by as we head down several halls. I feel the air temperature as it cools and I know we are going deeper and deeper underground.

  Suddenly, coming to a stop, I hear a heavy metal door slide open. We continue to move through several more of the heavy doors and the ceiling quickly changes, becoming carved out rock. I start to hear screams for help and multiple curse words, doors being slammed into, then as we get closer, dead silence fills the air.

  Soft whispers began, too low for human ears that say, “Is it her?”, “I’ll be dammed,” said another. Then silence.

  “Put her in here. Let her rest then we will question her again tomorrow,” a robed figure close to my head said.

  Again, I’m hoisted by my arms and legs, causing tremendous pain. I’m then placed on a cot and covered with a blanket.

  “This should help her rest,” the somewhat compassionate woman said.

  I feel a small prick in my right arm. A needle…

  Things become groggy and the last thing I hear is a metal door slamming shut.

  My eyes close and I welcome it. I’m in a better place running through the trees with Zach, laughing.

  “I think they overdosed her,” an unfamiliar voice cut into my confused mind.

  “There is no telling how long they had her in that hell hole up there,” another said.

  When I moan in pain, the voices stop, then quick shuffling follows.

  I’m lying on my side facing the wall when I open my eyes. Everything comes flooding back and I quickly push it all away. I can’t go through it all again now, I can’t handle the truth.

  The wall at my face is smooth and almost looks soft. I don’t bother touching it, I know it’s hard. I try to move, but my shoulders are too weak and painful to lift my weight. I want to roll on my back, but if I do, I’ll be hurting worse than I am now.

  I’m covered in a soft cream blanket that is surprisingly warm. I feel if I have any clothes left on my body, or if I’m completely naked. To my shock, I’m covered in a light silk fabric, pants and a shirt.

  I move my hand up to my face and notice it’s bandaged up past my wrist. My hair feels clean and soft, and I have several dressings on my face covering my wounds.

  They torture me and now they are taking care of me? What kind of messed up thing do they have going on here?

  As I turn on my back, I regret every second of it. I feel as though the flames still lick at my skin. But I can also feel bandages covering my burns. I want to cry, but have nothing left to give.

  Eventually turning onto my other side, I see the small eight by ten foot cell I’m being kept in. The bed takes up a share of the space and a small toilet sits in the corner, but there is nothing else, just an empty floor. The walls are all rock and I feel like I’m in a cave, except the thick metal bars closing off my exit tell me otherwise.

  Sitting up as carefully as I can, I look through the bars to see a small candle lit hall. There is another dark cell across from me, but I can’t see into it. My heightened vision is basically non-existent in my weakened state. I sit up on the edge of the hard cot and hold my head in my hands.

  A gruff, raspy voice comes from the cell across from me. “You’re her, are you not?” he asked coming into the low lighting so I can see his face.

  He looks to be about 40 years old, but sounds much older. All I can see in my weakened state is he is clean cut, no beard or mustache. That’s it.

  “Well, are you her? The missing hybrid everyone has been looking for?” he asked in a gentle voice.

  I stare at him and don’t answer. What does he know of me?

  “That’s alright. You need not answer. I understand your reluctance.” He smiles softly. “My name is Kasey. What’s yours, if I may ask?” he asked innocently, nodding his head for me to answer.

  I stare, not saying a word.

  “That’s okay, maybe later then.” He smiles again before disappearing into the darkness of his cell.

  “Is she awake yet!?” an angry voice demanded.

  “I just checked on her a few minutes ago. She was still sleeping.” It’s that caring voiced woman again.

  “If she’s not awake in an hour I’ll personally wake her!” Heavy footsteps stomp down the hall and disappear.

  A small scuffling noise starts down the hall toward my cell. A short, petite woman stops at my door and looks in. She’s maybe 5’3” in height, black hair and soft features.

  She smiles at me and then frowns. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?” she asked.

  I don’t answer and stare blankly at her just as I had Kasey.

  “It’s okay. I’m not going to harm you. It’s the others you have to worry about around here. I’m sorry if I upset you by the sleeping drugs. I had to make sure you wouldn’t harm me while I cleaned you up,” she rambled. “I’m sure you heard they want to talk to you. I’ll let them know before the hour is up that you’re awake. It’ll give you some time to orient yourself… I am sorry about everything they have done to you. But if you answer their questions now, they won’t hurt you anymore. If you need anything just yell for me. I’m Mallory by the way.” She smiles, then turns and walks away.

  “She’s the only friend on the outside you will have in here. You’re best to make it that way,” Kasey said from across the hall. “Besides, she’s taken a special liking to you.”

  I turn away. I don’t want
to make friends, nor talk to anyone or answer questions. I will keep my silence until they kill me. All I want now is to be with Zach, wherever he is.

  A time later I hear several footsteps coming my way.

  “About damn time!” the tall male said through tight lips. He isn’t wearing his robe this time. He doesn’t look like someone that would do what he did to me. He has a baby face that could win over any girl’s heart. Well… almost any girl.

  “Get her and let’s go,” he told the three men standing in front of him.

  The door slides open and the three men hold metal rods in their hands. The ends of the rods look to be electricity flickers, like a taser.

  “Let’s go,” one of the men demanded.

  I continue to sit on the bed looking blankly at them. I really don’t care anymore. I want them to kill me.

  “I said MOVE!” he threatened, pushing the prod closer to me.

  Again, I refuse.

  I turn my attention to their leader.

  Looking him in the eye with anger and hatred, I speak what may be my last words… “I’d rather die.”

  Closing my eyes, visualizing Zach’s sweet face, I wait for my punishment.

  Determination

  Katrina:

  “It’s been two days and we still haven’t found her scent.” Garcia sounds worried.

  “We will find her. She’s got to be here somewhere. Sadie is the closest town to where the spot was on the map.” Thatch tried to comfort his wife.

  “You know what Zach will do if we don’t get her back.” I can see she is getting emotional.

  “It won’t come to that my love.” He kissed her on the head.

  I turn away from them. I feel like it should be a private conversation.

  Zach zigzags behind me agitated, swishing his tail.

  “Zach… What’s going on?” I ask him.

  He heaves a sigh.

  “I know you can’t talk but you can try to act it out, or draw it with your paw.”