Rising from the Ashes

Back to Hell

Chapter 10

Regina’s pov

I don’t know how I managed to get through all of that without completely falling apart. I think Ash giving me her strength is the only reason I was able to keep my head high and not let them see just how badly they had damaged me.

My dad, even with the truth, finally in front of him, and the effects of the drugs gone still couldn't spare me a moment. He was too busy trying to still protect the child he loved the most. Even without the potions, he is still dancing to her tune.

When Lilith came and got me, she took me straight to my room there. She knew I would want to see anyone. I didn’t like to cry in front of others, Lilith was one of the few exceptions to that rule. We had always been able to show how we were feeling in front of each other without worrying about what the other would think.

She just sat and held me as I cried for God knows how long, and stroked my back and hair, giving me silent comfort until I was ready to speak. She had food delivered to us, but I couldn’t face eating anything. I knew she wouldn’t push it just yet.

After encouraging Lilith to eat, as there is no point in her starving because of me, I started to tell her what had happened. I told her everything from the first moment I left until she came to get me this morning, not leaving out a single detail. She cursed a lot before she finally spoke.

“I am really surprised she acted so rashly. She has been doing this so long that she must have gotten either complacent or desperate. I am glad she has finally been caught, I just wish you didn’t have to lose your mate to show them how wrong they were” she said with both anger and sadness in her voice.

“He was an a.ss anyway. He has always been a di.ck to me since we were little. Not even Ash was that sad to reject him. She knows how he has been. I don’t think I could ever be with someone who has slept with my sister. The thought makes me want to puke” I say with a shiver.

“Do you think that Tamara will now tell them what she did to her?” Lilith asked me.

Yeah, before I left for the underworld the first time, Tamara had told me how Sophia had slept with her mate. I knew they had drifted apart years ago, but Tamara has never done anything to deserve her twin doing that to her.

Tamara’s mate felt sick when it happened, Sophia had worn her clothes and masked her own scent to trick him. It took a few months until she let him mark her, as she was upset about it, even if she hadn’t entirely blamed him for the incident.

“I would say from the smile she gave me and the anger in her eyes that yes, she will. I have forgiven her for the indifference she has given me most of my life. At least she has tried to make an effort. I don’t think I can forgive Julius though, besides I have already broken our familial bond” I say with a small shrug.

“Not that I think you should, but you can rescind it if you change your mind. That boy needs to stop hanging off of your father’s coat tails and get his own mind, or he will be an even worse leader than Tybolt. I feel sorry for Raine” she says.

“I know, but we are barely siblings anyway. We don’t have a bond. It was just a slight pull between our beasts. Ash never got to bond with his dragon, so she sees Zeke and Lucifer more as her brother than him. I wish Raine didn’t get hurt so much in Sophia’s bid for attention she has always been a nice girl and is far too good for Julius that’s for sure” I reply.

“Yeah I like her too, I hope she is fine” Lilith says.

“She is strong. Maybe Hades can ask after her if anyone bothers to call for me. I don’t want to speak to anyone right now. I don’t want anyone knowing how I am. He can relay some things to mum, but apart from that, I don’t want to hear from anyone else” I tell her.

“I have already linked him to tell him to intercept any calls and not to talk about you to anyone, I will tell him that Crimson can get basic info and leave a message” she says before her eyes cloud over.

“Thank you Lilith, if it hadn’t been for you and your family, I don’t know if I would have made it this long” I say, my eyes brimming with tears again.

“Nope none of that, we don’t do thank yous. Family don’t need to be thanked for doing the right thing. Besides, you are the one who has kept me sane through the years, I love you sister” she says, hugging me, and yet again, I am back to being a sobbing mess.

I think this is the lowest I have ever been, I hate being so weak and being reduced to this helpless state. At this moment, I am both figuratively and literally in hell. The only difference is that it is actually a nice place and much better than the emotional turmoil I am in.

We spent the whole day chatting with each other and crying more tears than I thought my body was capable of doing. I feel both emotionally and physically drained by it all. Then comes the conversation I was dreading.

“You know, as soon as Marcus finds out you have rejected your mate, he will want to see you. He will be desperate to see if he is your second chance” she says cautiously.

I am not stupid. I know Marcus has feelings for me, and I am not going to lie and say I hadn’t wished it would be him. I think he is probably one of the only unmated males that I could actually trust. Right now, I am too scared and broken to see him.

I am scared that I see him and he is not mine, I don’t think my psychological state could take that right now. I am also worried that I am so broken right now that I can not be the person he deserves me to be, I need to get my strength back and mend my heart.

“I know, but I am not ready, I mean, what if he isn’t my mate? Or what if he is and I ruin things because I am hurting so much? I need to get my strength back so when I do see him, if he is mine, I can be the mate he deserves” I say.

“I can understand that, and in your position, I probably would feel the same. Marcus will understand” she tells me.

Instead of a worker bringing us our dinner, it is Claudia at the other side of the door. She insists we both eat in her words “so we have the strength to deal with the a.ssholes”. I do my best and managed to eat half, knowing she would feed me herself if she had to.

She looks happy with what I have managed and doesn’t push me to eat more yet. She then practically shoves Lilith out the door, saying that she will look after her other bonus daughter so she can get busy making her grand babies.

I think it was the first time I managed a genuine smile and chuckle, Lilith was scarlet in embarrassment. But seeing me happy for a small bit was enough to convince her that I would be safe in Claudia’s hands for the night.

“You don’t have to stay, I am sure Hades won’t be happy about being left alone” I tell her, trying to give her a convincing smile.

“Nonsense, he was happy for me to come. We both love you like our own, just like we love Lilith. Both Ezekiel and Hades are happy for us to be next to you as long as you need us” she says as she lays my head on her lap and strokes my hair.

It feels so comforting, Claudia has a mothers touch, which makes you feel like things will be fine as long as she is there. She doesn’t try and get me to tell her what happened she just waits until I am ready to speak. She knows a lot about my past but not all of it.

I tell her what happened in the not even a full day I was gone, and she just offers me comfort and kind words, along with the offer to have them tortured in the chambers below while they are still alive. She is like Lilith she would hug you or kill someone for you, whichever one she thought would make you feel better quicker.

She stays with me that night and holds me like my mum used to years ago when I was still little. Halfway through the night, I am awoken by someone shaking me and someone’s cries. It takes me a moment to register that it is my own cries I am hearing.

Claudia just rocks me as I tell her about my nightmare. It has been a while since I had them, but they are always of Sophia hurting me and dad blaming me for it. Claudia has tears in her eyes when I tell her about it, but they also hold a murderous glint in them too.

I make it through the night without another nightmare and have breakfast with Claudia before Lilith appears again to spend time with me, and that’s how it carries on for the next few days as they take turns to spent the night with me to help chase the nightmares away.