Play In Darkness (Eng/END)

49. The Lonely Star

Imdad attacks Janwar on his chair. He grabbed the dark-skinned man by the neck and punched him repeatedly in the face. "Say, who sent you?!" snapped Imdad.

Janwar coughed and spat out a clot of blood and two teeth. "I don't know, I've never met," replied Janwar almost indistinctly because of his swollen lips.

Delisha leaned back in the corner of the room and was busy with her cell phone and her own thoughts. She scans Janwar's blood spot on a handkerchief with her mobile. There was no trace of Devdas' Nigrum Mortem black substance. Somehow, in the corner of her heart, she felt relieved by that. What was detected in Janwar's blood was an addictive chemical that made a person fearless and provided additional energy to the user. A substance commonly used to brainwash extremists or terrorists, a substance in the future referred to as U666.

The suicide bomb Janwar planned was the last resort if his assassination attempt failed. After all, Imdad had luck when it came to avoiding death. When she touched Janwar's vital points, the substance's effect disappeared, which was why Janwar began to open his mind and speak. It's just that the axis of the man's life is getting shorter. The man will die shortly.

She keeps her handkerchief and mobile. She glanced at Imdad. The man slammed Janwar and his chair on the floor and was about to lift it to throw him again even though Janwar was already unconscious.

"Imdad, stop!" Delisha exclaimed softly. Imdad turned to her with sharp eyes and nose flickering in anger.

Imdad stayed away from Janwar and called his men outside, "Dieder !!"

"Ready!" said Dieder, who was on standby some distance from the cabin. The man ran to fulfill Imdad's call accompanied by 3 soldiers.

"Take care of this prisoner. Just kill him if he fights!" Imdad grumbled as Dieder got into the cabin. With wide strides, Imdad left the cabin. Delisha followed him half running. Delisha called out to him several times but ignored.

Imdad returned to the tent and paced back and forth with one hand on his hips. The fingers of the other hand played a bronze coin. "Imdad ...," Delisha called softly. He still didn't answer and didn't want to look at the woman. He is angry. Not to Delisha, but to himself. He felt helpless to realize the many dangers that target his women since she was a child. If only Delisha wasn't with him in the cabin, he'd really want to kill Janwar.

"Raj ...." The woman called him back softly with a favorite call. Imdad stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath while turned his back to Delisha. A second later he turned around and took Delisha into his arms. Delisha's face sank into his chest. "I'm sorry, Delisha, I got carried away earlier. I should have been able to protect you and July." Imdad kissed the top of Delisha's head. "Oh, my God, you turned out to be July's child, why didn't I realize earlier?" he murmured.

Delisha could clearly hear Imdad's heartbeat. "You were too young and I guess you didn't know anything at that time, Imdad, no one blamed you," Delisha whispered as she put her arm around Imdad's waist and hugged him back.

Imdad loosened his arms and lifted Delisha's chin to look into her eyes. "He said you were already dead at that time, what does that mean? You really died?"

"I should have," replied Delisha. She reveals the kidnapping incident of Anthony, Xander Xin's son who was not widely known. "I was kidnapped as a hostage so that my mother would kill Anthony. My mother realized that even if she killed Anthony, I would still be killed by my kidnapper, namely Janwar, as he admits, so my mother chose to sacrifice herself so that Anthony would not be killed. That was the real incident behind my mother's death, July Andrews. I was 3 years old at that time. In 2010, when my mother was killed, I died right away. But Xin Corp ... with its time machine, saved me at the last minute. "

Imdad was silent for a moment, examined his lover's face, then opened his voice. "So, you're 11 at this moment?"

"8, to be precise," Delisha replied, bringing an astonishing look to Imdad's face. "I was transported to 2013 and lived on from that year. I passed 3 years of my life. Because of that, as you said, my chakra is open and I have many 'gifts.' So, here I am, Delisha who is sent from 2034 to find integrity and carry out a mission. "

Imdad released his hug and moved away from Delisha. "Mission," he repeated and the word tasted bitter after it left his mouth. He turned his body to face the tent wall.

Staring at Imdad's back, Delisha said, "Yes, Imdad, this is only a mission. The options are only two. If I succeed in completing my mission, I will return to 2034. If I fail then that means my death." Imdad turned to face her and before the man spoke she preceded him, "I want you to forget me, after I leave or I die, it's the same. Forget me forever from your life and don't look for another Delisha in this world, Imdad."

"Wh-why?"

Delisha didn't blink a moment when she looked into Imdad's cold brown eyes. "Because you and I will never be together Imdad. It's written in our destiny, I will end up dead with you. Trust me, I've been through it and I don't want to repeat the same cycle."

Imdad froze in place. Delisha turned and went out of the tent, leaving him alone. It was not the farewell that he feared, but a wounded and incurable heart that would kill him.

The moon was shining brightly but chose to hide behind the clouds. Imdad's life feels gloomy, like a hump longing for the moon that will never shine again for him.

***

Delisha slept in the female attendant's barracks. The threat the other day so that Imdad would not touch her happened. The man did not speak to her all day long and busied himself with soldiers organizing refugees and patrolling the camp environment from intruders. With Janwar as their prisoner, his comrades will likely come to rescue or silence him.

Without the presence of Imdad by her side, the supernatural beings around the forest began to approach even more dare, more in number and types. Her presence is like hot gossip that quickly spreads among another realm. The burden on her mind was getting heavier because she had to act normal. If she points out her weakness, Imdad will think she's looking for attention. Delisha was disdainful of this.

Exhausted, she slept soundly that night, even though the people gathered in the courtyard lit bonfires, dancing and singing enjoying the atmosphere of the full moon shining brightly.

Delisha dreamed in her sleep. The surroundings were pitch black and freezing. She hugged herself and walked in the dark. "Come here, The Moon ..." whispered a voice. A deep and cold voice, a slight growl.

"Come to me ... my moon ...." the voice whispered again.

Delisha awoke from her sleep and found herself alone in the barracks. He heard the faint voices of people outside the tent and the sparks light of the campfire. But the whispering voice rang in her ear very clearly.

"Come on, come on, come here ... Come here, O Moon ..." The whisper is like a song that moves her heart. She was attracted to the owner of the voice. She wanted to see the owner of the voice. She ... missed him!

Delisha removed the blanket and got out of the barracks bed and hurried toward the sound. She walked out of the gap on the other side of the tent facing the forest. The lavish forest lit by the full moon made Delisha's steps unstoppable to enter deeper into the forest. She even ran. It's dangerous, Delisha thought, but she couldn't stop her steps. She's too curious.

Delisha didn't know how long she ran. She stopped with her back up and down with gasps. She was holding on to a pillar overgrown with vines. She saw the view of the old pond with the moon reflecting on the water surface, the flickering glowing fireflies also decorated the beauty of that night. Big banyan tree in the middle of the scenery. She recognized the place. Ruins of Rajputana Udai Singh's palace.

"Welcome ... O the moon ..." said the whispering voice.

Delisha could hear soft snoring sounds and her breath stopped for a moment when she saw a figure emerging from the darkness. A wolf with a silver mane revealed its form. An enormous wolf, about the size of two adults. A soft growl rang out from the corner of the wolf's snout, along with its pointed teeth and a gleam of saliva. The creature's eyes sparkled like moonlight. The eyes are sharp, dark, and very beautiful with deep lids and long lashes. Behind the wolf, slowly another wolf emerged. There are 7 wolves in all.

It wasn't just the beast's appearance that amazed Delisha. They were wolves as beautiful as paintings. The problem is, in Delisha's special eyes, the wolf has the presence of a human, male. The seven of them were wolves, bearing the appearance of a man with muscular athletic bodies, handsome faces, and all of them without any clothes on. In other words, they were naked and all on all fours.

Delisha was confused. Usually, she saw an animal-like human, this time a human-like animal. If only they were wearing clothes, she might be able to think straight.

"What are you guys?" asked Delisha with a frown.

"Hmmhuahahaha ...." A laugh roared in Delisha's ears so that she had to cover her ears. But the voice still sounded clear. The creature spoke to her via telepathy. "It's true that people say. You have a special ability. No wonder you become the incarnation of the moon."

"You guys are… handsome werewolves (a reference to an Indonesian TV serial)?" said Delisha in shock.

The voice laughed again, apparently coming from the wolf in the middle of the largest and most powerful, the group leader. The Alpha. "That's right! And I called you because you are my future partner."

For what contest or election? Forest council? "Hey, wait a minute!" protested Delisha. "Since when?"

"Since I lost my mate," the voice was sulking.

"Your mate?"

"Soraya."

Oh, that hyena woman?

"Imdad Hussain who killed her. In return, you must replace my mate position."

"If I don't want to?"

A growl burst out from the Alpha. "Then you must die!" he snapped and the Alpha jumped in front of Delisha while growling and stiffening their legs to pounce. The pack immediately took a position to surround Delisha.

They made Delisha jolt hot and cold. They were only about 2 meters away from her. All of them were handsome guys and in that state ... she tried to ignore them. Really, she was trying hard, but her eyes had to be wide open to be aware of the surroundings. "You are all crazy!" Delisha shouted, fumbling around in the pockets of her baggy pants for The Lady badge. "Before biting me, I want to see evidence of your rabies vaccination!" snapped Delisha, covering her nervousness.

"We are vaccinated, miss, don't worry," said someone.

Ah, you bastard!

"So which one do you choose? Be my mate or my comrades' meal?" threatens the Alpha.

"I don't choose both!" Delisha replied as she turned and ran away from the wolves. But the Alpha had already jumped over her head and was blocking her way. Delisha had to step back due to Alpha's bullying. Delisha gasped in her throat. She always thought the wolf was a creature who had true love and was loyal to his partner and must have fallen in love with a beautiful woman, never did she think of herself as a food candidate for the pack.

"You dare to refuse my wish??" pointed out the Alpha as he stepped forward and his eyes fixed sharply at Delisha.

Delisha didn't answer and a moment later the wolves got closer and closer to her.

"Then taste this!!" shouted the Alpha and all the wolves lunged at her.

Delisha raised the emblem of The Lady and the energy emitted by it pushed hard against the wolves. They were bounced several meters away from Delisha. With alertness, the wolves stood up again.

"Hoh, so you are holding The Lady's Emblem?" said the Alpha sarcastically. "I'm not afraid of that thing. Guys!!" The wolves ran towards Delisha and one by one lunged at the woman, but all of them bounced and fell to the ground or hit the trees.

Delisha knew that Mr. Takur was in the banyan tree, but the old man chose to be a spectator instead. Very heartless! Perhaps an observer as a reference for his stories.

"Hhaahhh, damn it !!" shouted the Alpha followed by his comrades. Neither of them could approach the woman. Seeing Delisha standing straight and her scornful gaze, the Alpha became even more emotional. "We'll see in a moment," he growled. "Guys!!" The three wolves lunged at Delisha again with their jaws wide open ready to pounce.

Delisha dodged with the badge in her hand, the wolves were blown away into the trees.

"Take this!!" growled the Alpha while biting a large tree branch fragment and threw it at Delisha.

Shuuuut .... Bugh!

The branch hit Delisha in the stomach so that Delisha fell to the ground and caught her leg in a rotten tree trunk. A bone chattering sound shifted from her ankle. The Lady's emblem slipped from her hand. "Aaah, damn it!!" whined Delisha. She inched closer to the emblem that was lying on the ground.

"Die!!" growled the Alpha as he lurched at Delisha with sharp teeth ready to shred and sparkling saliva splashed from his mouth.

Delisha knew she couldn't escape. Her heartbeat violently against the chest wall. Delisha raised an arm ready to protect her head. It was when she was about to die that a black figure flashed in front of her. The moonlight was blocked by the figure, making a black shadow seem to surround Delisha. Delisha could hear her own breathing. She is still alive and her heart is still beating. The Alpha's growl was clearly heard.

Did that black shadow stop everything?

Delisha lowered her arms and saw the beautiful sight of the black wings growing from the shoulders of a tall, slender man.

"De-Devdas ??" she called softly.