Midnight Mate

Water

Katya POV

I tried my best to act strong, to not show my full worry. Yet, learning that Falcon was infected was destroying me. The disease, created from me, was now a part of him. Even though I didn't bite him, I couldn't escape the guilt. This disease wouldn't even exist if it weren't for me. I can't bear the thought of being his end, not after all he has gone through for me.

After Falcon explained the situation to everyone, he announced his plans to go to the kingdom with a promise to return within a day. I needed to find a way to help him. Normally, when I needed to think back before I met Falcon, I would go for runs in the forest. But right now, it was not safe for me to leave the hideout. So, instead, I excused myself to the bathroom.

I closed and locked the door, feeling the coolness of the tiled walls against my back. Sitting on the floor, I took a moment to catch my breath, to gather my thoughts.

"Dad, is it true?" I whispered, my voice breaking. "Are you really not human? Has my entire life been a lie, or am I just stuck in some sort of crazy dream?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, silently streaming down my face. Part of me wished to wake up to a more normal life, but only if Falcon was still with me. I feared for him, my heart filled with an overwhelming sense of guilt.

"If I can create a disease, then I am one," I mumbled to myself. The one I love the most, the one who finally made me feel whole and happy again, is now suffering because of me. I would give anything for him to be okay. This is my fault, no matter what he says.

My gaze wandered around the bathroom, taking in the sight of a giant tub.

I lifted myself up from the bathroom floor and turned on the faucet, watching as the water cascaded into the bathtub. Just as I was about to undress, a gentle knock echoed through the door. "Everything okay?" Falcon's concerned voice seeped through the cracks.

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "Yes, I just need some time alone."

"Take your time, Katya," he reassured me, his words filled with understanding.

As the bathwater steadily rose, I slowly removed my clothes, feeling the warmth of the room envelop me. Stepping into the soothing water, I sank beneath the surface, immersing myself in the silence. It reminded me of the peacefulness I experienced when I used to cliff dive back home.

Underwater, I felt a sense of connection to my parents, as if their presence lingered in the depths. I would hold my breath until my lungs burned, pushing myself to the brink of my limits in the past. It was in those moments that I believed I could bridge the gap between life and whatever lay beyond sometimes hearing my dad's voice.

Whenever I resurfaced, I would tell myself it was all in my mind, a mere figment of my imagination. But hearing my father's voice, even if it was a product of my own thoughts, brought me comfort. It made me wonder, what if it was more? What if I could truly communicate with him?

Although I had promised Falcon I wouldn't attempt to cure him, I never vowed to refrain from seeking answers or finding another way to help him. With determination, I submerged myself again, holding my breath tightly, calling out to my father in my mind, pleading for his guidance and assistance.

"Please, I need you," I cried out silently. "Falcon is the first person who has made me feel alive again. He is my family now, and I love him. Dad, if you can hear me, I need to discover who I truly am. I need you now more than ever."

But all I received in response was the deafening silence, leaving me alone with my thoughts and unanswered questions.

I continued to hold my breath, refusing to come up for air. Thoughts of Falcon raced through my mind as I immersed myself in the water.

"Please, dad, if you're still here, speak to me," I pleaded silently. The burning sensation in my lungs intensified, urging me to resurface, but I resisted. I needed to give my all, just as Falcon and everyone else had done for me.

Suddenly, something shifted. It felt as if time had stood still, freezing me in this very moment. The surroundings transformed, transporting me from the bath to a dimly lit cave, filled with the earthy scent of damp soil.

"Dad," I cried out, my voice echoing through the cavern. Had I truly managed to connect with him? Or had I pushed myself too far? Doubt crept in, but before I could question further, he appeared before me, just as I remembered him. Was this real? Was my dad truly with me?

"D-Dad," I stammered, my voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and hope.

"It is not safe for you to contact me and enter my realm Katya," my father spoke, his voice carrying the same familiar tone I had remembered. Yet, it echoed through the air, holding an undeniable authority.

"Your realm, Dad... I'm so confused," I managed to stammer, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. "I thought you were dead. I thought I was normal. But everything has changed, and everything I once believed is now being shattered. I just wanted to talk to you. I'm terrified and desperate. I have no idea what to do, and I need you. I have someone now, but he is sick, and it's because of something that apparently originated from me. I need answers. I need to know who I really am. You can't just let me continue living a lie."

Tears streamed down my face as my father took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "It was our wish for you to remain as you were, my child. This is not the life we wanted for you. It's a life of constant struggle. Yet, despite all that was done to prevent this, you have awakened. And now, there is no turning back," he said, his words only further confusing me.

"You wanted me to live my entire life a lie?" I questioned, my voice filled with a mix of anger and hurt.

"If it meant your safety, yes," he replied, his tone filled with a somber resignation. "You are a creation never meant to be, yet one I will never regret. Now that you know who I am, you must understand that I am not meant to walk among the humans or the many other species that exist within the realms of the living."

"What does that mean? Are you saying you don't live with the living?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I live in the realm of the dead, Katya. The realm you are currently in is just that, a bridge between the living and the dead. You have brought your soul to me," he explained, his words sinking in slowly.

"Wait... I'm dead?" I blurted out, my mind reeling.

"No, not dead, but you have the power to enter this realm. You are a part of me, just as you can survive in the realm of the living due to your mother," he clarified.

"Mom," I whispered, feeling a mix of sadness and longing.

"You must return to your body, Katya. You can't stay here," he warned, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"I need answers. Please, don't make me leave without them. I will keep trying to come here, to see you, until I know the truth," I pleaded.

My father shook his head. "Stubborn, just as you were as a child," he spoke, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and concern.

I pleaded with him, desperation evident in my voice, "Please, if anything, tell me how to save Falcon."

"The wolf prince, your mate." He responded.

Confusion clouded my thoughts as I questioned him, "You know I have a mate?"

"I have kept an eye on you, Katya. Though I couldn't interfere with your life, I have been watching over you, my child. You have grown strong, despite the hardships you've faced." He responded.

The weight of Falcon's importance to me pressed heavily on my heart. I needed my father to understand, to know how much he meant to me. "Then you know what Falcon means to me. You know that I need him, and I will do anything to ensure his survival," I implored.

"It was your blood," he said, his voice steady but filled with sorrow, "that created the disease. Your blood possesses the power of both life and death. It was taken from you when you were afraid and upset. It was your fear, mixed with the blood, that made it cause death. You control the power within your blood, it is your emotions and your choice on how it will react."

I listened intently, my heart pounding in my chest. My father continued, his voice low and filled with regret.

"The disease was created because you feared and knew the one who took you was bad. And for that, it created a disease, much like a curse, that started to spread."

I swallowed hard, trying to process everything.

"Then if I were to allow one to take my blood that I love and when I'm not afraid, does that mean it will give life?"

My father's eyes softened, a mix of sadness and understanding. He spoke with a heavy heart.

"Your blood can heal, Katya, but it will not cure one infected with the disease."

A sense of desperation washed over me. I needed to find a way to save him.

I asked, my voice trembling. "How do I cure him then?"

My father's gaze held mine, his voice filled with a somber wisdom.

"You must take what was created back into you, my child. But not just your mate, all of it. There is a way, but it will harm you."

Fear gripped my heart, but I had to find a solution. I asked, my voice shaky. "Is there any other way?"

He shook his head, his expression grave.

"No, for it is a disease created from powers outside of their realm. They may have ways to slow it, but not cure it."

I felt a knot form in my stomach. The stakes were high, and the consequences even higher. I asked, my voice filled with uncertainty. "Can I survive if I cure him?"

My father's voice was filled with reassurance, a hint of pride.

"You, the daughter of death, my child. You, just like me, are very hard to kill. It will not kill you, but as a consequence, it may make it so you can only survive in this realm, the one I reside in. Unlike you, my child, I can't stay in the realm of the living for long. I must always return to this one. Even when I was with you as a child, I traveled between both. But if you cure your mate, there is a chance you may not even be able to travel, for you are not strong enough yet. And your powers are still new, they must be fully evolved to take on so much."

I looked deeply into my father's eyes, the intensity of his gaze piercing through me. "Tell me," I said, my voice filled with determination, "how can I become strong enough? I will do whatever it takes to cure Falcon, no matter what. I will cure everyone."

His voice resonated with wisdom as he responded, "Your power, Katya, it grows on its own. It is something I cannot hasten. It will take time. But to harness it, you must accept it. Do not fear it, for fear will render it uncontrollable. You used it to come to me and speak, which means you can access it. Feel for it within yourself. Though you are a part of me, the extent of your power is unknown. All you can do is wait. Just like me, your power will reveal itself in due time. And when it does, you will understand what you can do and how to wield it."

A sense of urgency filled his words as he continued, "But you must understand, Katya. Using your power as you are now makes you vulnerable. Those in my realm, as well as other gods and goddesses, will sense your power. Many do not believe you should exist, and they will come for you. You must be cautious. Don't use too much of it, or they will find you. You must learn to control it and never let it spiral out of control."

"Please, teach me." I pleaded with him.

"I will teach you when I can. But for now, you must start by feeling for your power and trusting in yourself. It is time for you to return to your body, Katya. It is not safe to stay any longer."

"Tell me, dad, what must I do to take this disease in my own body?" I pleaded, my voice quivering with desperation.

"You must cut the hand of one afflicted," he replied, his words hanging heavy in the air. "And then, you must do the same to yourself. Mix your blood with theirs, allowing the disease to transfer. It will extract the affliction not only from them but from all others who still remain infected."

My father's cautionary tone pierced through my fear. "But remember, my child, only undertake this when you are strong enough. If you wish to stay by your mate's side."

Before I could utter another word, he reached out and touched me. In that instant, I felt a rush, as if I were soaring through the air. Darkness enveloped me, and then, with a blink of my eyes, I found myself in Falcon's arms. He was drenched, his grip tight with panic and fear etched on his face.