The General's Son w***e

XV

She smiled, “It would mean a lot to me if you showed.”

I awkwardly nodded as she held me by my biceps, to be honest, I was still in a state of shock that this kept happening.

School was a bore but the only thing that got me through most of it was McKenzie's dance this morning, it was incredibly sexy and fun.

I was in third period when I saw Jenna walking up to the table I was assigned to, so I quickly picked up my bag and set it on the empty seat next to me. I was hoping the message was loud and clear that I didn't want anything to do with her. She kept walking towards me as I continued to stare deeply at the book I was reading.

She greeted, “Heeeey Amora.”

I side glanced at her, silently watching her remove my bag as she sat down.

Seriously …?

I laid my head on my hand as I slightly turned my face away from hers, she playfully asked, “Whatcha doin’?”

I replied, “Reading.”

“Oooh? What kind of book?” She tried to weasel her way in by snatching my reading material.

I deadpanned, “The science textbook.”

She let go, “Ew, why?”

“Because I want to.” I sighed, “What do you want?”

“I was just wondering if you'd like to come over tonight, as an apology for our unfortunate dinner date.”

I rolled my eyes and turned towards her, “Fine, what time?”

She smiled, “I was thinking about right after school. What do you say?” she asked, placing her hand on my upper thigh.

I looked down at it, then to her, “Yea, ok.”

After school I arrived at the address Jenna privately sent me and I continued forward. I knocked on the door once and immediately she answered, “Amora, I wasn't expecting you.”

I looked over both of my shoulders, “Um, were you expecting someone else?”

“No, no, please come in.” She said opening the door for me to enter.

When I walked through the doorway, something was secretly telling me to leave as soon as possible. Her apartment was bland and had little to almost no furniture what so ever which had me looking at Jenna concerned.

She dragged me over to the somewhat of a kitchen table and I plopped on one of the chairs as she spooned some spaghetti on my plate. After she served herself, we mainly sat in silence and I wasn't feeling the vibes she was giving out.

I cleared my throat, “You're friends with McKenzie right?”

“Ya.”

I twirled the noodles on my fork, “Do you know if she likes me more than a friend.”

She deadpanned, “No.”

“That was rather quick, do you need a moment to think about it?”

She shook her head in disgust, “Absolutely not. McKenzie is straight and even if she considered girls, it wouldn't be you.”

Ouch.

After dinner, we ended up in her living room watching a movie on Netflix, I felt bored and completely uncomfortable. I couldn't stop thinking about McKenzie and I felt like I was forgetting something rather important, that was until Jenna got up from her spot and straddled me.

She whispered, “So about our date … I was thinking I could make it up to you?”

At first, I wasn't sure what she was getting at until I felt her move against me. I would have been against it but at the moment, it felt right … or good, the thought was unclear and Jenna was pretty attractive so I figured, why not?

I nodded, “Okay.”

She brought my face closer to hers as she pressed our lips together, but I didn't feel a connection like I did with McKenzie, at least emotionally.

She stood, “How about we take this to the bedroom?”

I stood along with her and followed her to her room desperately wanting to finish what we started.

After Jenna's place, I met Sara at the church like I promised her I would in exchange for the favor she did for me yesterday with such short notice.

I asked, “So who exactly are we f*cking up?”

Sara shrugged, “I'm still not sure, I've honestly never seen her face in this town before. It's weird because everybody knows everybody in this small town. I could literally walk down the streets and someone could point me out and be like that's the pastor’s daughter, and so and so would be like nah, she can't be she's gay.”

I questioned, “Ok, so I guess we are winging it tonight?”

“Bingo, my friend.” She stood before me, “So shall we get this started?”

I nodded, “Okay, so like how we do this? Do we have to perform a séance or something?”

She laughed, “Pft don't be silly. All I have to do is get your permission and jump right in.”

I pressed my lips together before I spoke, “Simple … I like simple … Ok … so I give you my permission.”

Sara literally jumped inside of me and I felt a slight dizziness from the suddenness, “Whoa that felt weird.”

Sara shoved my inner me over, “Move over you're hogging all of you.”

“Sorry.” Then Sara screamed, “What is that?”

I laughed, “That would be me as a beast.”

The beast growled, “Holy f*cking sh*t.” Sara said trying to get behind me.

I waved her off, “Don't worry about her, she's chained up.”

Sara grabbed her legs and pulled them up to her chest. I continued to laugh, “Listen if you want your revenge, you have to learn how to ride with the both of us.”

She seemed to accept quickly, “Fine … ” she moved about inside my body, picking up the closest item, “Oh what’s this.”

“Sara put them down,” I demanded.

She smirked, “Is this a binder full of memories with McKenzie?”

I tried to mentally slap her, “Put my stuff back where you found it.”

“Mmmmm nah, just focus on driving this vessel.” She said getting comfortable in the corner of my mind.

I allowed a little bit of the beast to emerge, that's when Sara squealed as the chains kept getting longer, the beast itching to fully escape.

Sara started panicking, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” she fell, crawling away, “Amora tame her! I'll be good!”

I smirked, “Good. Now that you know that I'm captain of this vessel how about you take a seat until we come across your murderer.”

She rolled her eyes, “Fine.”

We trailed many paths until we came across a gas station and Sara yelled, “Her! That's her!”

I questioned, “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely, let me take control.”

So I backed down as Sara steered my vessel, she followed the blonde around the gas station with much ease, I on the underhand felt differently.

We followed the familiar blonde a couple of blocks down the road and I could feel Sara's hatred towards her like somehow I felt wronged by this woman.

She suddenly turned around and I was taken back, I seriously couldn't believe who I was seeing as Sara stood about a foot away from none other than Karen herself.

She smiled, “What brings you around here this late at night, Amora.”

Sara clenched both her fists and teeth,

“Guess … again … bitch.”

At first, she was confused but immediately smirked, “Sara Wilson, What a lovely surprise.”

“Then I do suppose you don't know why I'm here?”

She chuckled, “I'm placing a good bet on something along the lines of revenge?”

“Yup.”

She tilted her head, “And what makes you think I'm going to give up so easily?”

Sara crossed her arms, “Didn't think you would, and to be honest, I'm glad I picked the right vessel.”

She took off suddenly disregarding everything she purchased this evening and Sara just stood casually looking at my finger nails.

I questioned, “Uh Sara?”

“Hmmm?” she responded.

“You do know she is running away,” I informed her.

She nodded, “I'll give her a head start.”

“Sara!”

She rolled her eyes, “Okay fine, let's get beastly.”

Sara requested that I allowed the beast to assist in her vengeance, I was against it at first but ultimately knew Sara needed this, it was her chance to revenge herself over the person who wronged her.

So I channeled my inner beast and caught up with the said blonde, it wasn't even a challenge how quickly we caught up as we jumped her.

She smiled, “So the rumors are true.”

I wanted to know more about what she was talking about but then Sara shoved my claw into her chest and pulled her heart straight out of its cavity, crushing it immediately.

I yelled, “Seriously Sara? You couldn't have waited?”

“Wait? Why on earth would I wait for my murderer to have anymore last words?”

“She mentioned something that piqued my interest.”

She pouted, “Oh sorry.”

After Sara got her revenge, I knew I had to warn McKenzie that her so-called friends were a little on the sketchy side.

On my way to McKenzie's house, I felt my phone vibrate indicating that I had received a message. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and clicked on the picture message I received and my eyes immediately went wide as I felt my blood begin to boil.

I closed out of the message, clenching my phone tightly in my fist, someone was certainly going to pay. I ran off into the night as I felt the beast surfacing and my phone started to ring so I answered it.

Laughter echoed “Miss me?”

I was completely blind-sided, not once did I believe I could be played like this. I should have stuck to my gut feeling and never doubted myself.

God, I was so stupid.

So I ran like hell in the beast form as I pushed the double doors open to the familiar abandoned church that we, as in Perry, Fayette and myself discovered and I was immediately restrained. I felt the cool metal clamp around my neck and I knelt to the floor in agony, I never felt so weak in my life.

I waited on the cold hard floor until a pair of shoes came into sight and I felt my blood boil, knowing I'd become the fool.

“So I bounced ideas around in my head for a while now and I thought how fun would it be to send Amora cute little pictures now that I had her number.” She squatted down and grabbed my face, “Answer me this, did you enjoy my photography?”

I remained silent mostly because I was still in pain from the cold metal wrapped around my neck as I stared into Jenna's psychotic eyes.

Her lips curled into a smile, “Of course.” She stood as she wrapped my chain around her hand, “What kind of host would I be if I didn't introduce you to the other guests?”

She proceeded to walk towards the main stage with me in tow, I didn't have a choice in the matter. To be honest, even if I tried to fight back, I couldn't because I was so weak at the moment.

As we stopped in front of McKenzie who happened to be tied together with Stacy, Jenna whispered in my ear, “Do you know how easy you made this for me? Literally leaving McKenzie all alone and vulnerable out in public. Poor thing was so sad sitting on the swing until nighttime.” She cackled.

I clenched my jaw feeling her words already get to me, it was hard enough to deal with the fact that I had mistakenly forgotten about McKenzie for one evening.

“Good thing her besties were there to mend a broken heart.” A hint of play rolled off her voice.

My heart tightened when the tears started to surface and I had to look away from McKenzie, the pain in my soul was too much to bear. I already felt bad that I forgot about her in addition to something I'd been meaning to confess.

When Jenna spoke, I looked at her with a look of disgust as she patted my head, “So how about you be a good little doggy for me and we can get this done as quickly and effortlessly as possible.”

I snarled as I tried to claw at her body, “Let them go, they are innocent mundane.”

She laughed as she squatted and whispered at a safe distance, “No can do.” Then stood walking to the front stage, “You see, Amora, I have plans in the future and I just cannot have you and your stooges in the way of things.”

She tapped her chin, “Where shall I begin?” Then looked at me with a wicked smile, “Oh I know!”

She then walked back over to me and yanked me by my chain to the main stage. I pulled at the device that the chain was hooked to in attempts to gain a breath or two as it was collapsing my throat.

Jenna started, “Actually … I think we will make things more … ” Then let me go as she released McKenzie, “Interesting.”

She held onto McKenzie's arm as she brought her to the main stage and tossed her to my feet. McKenzie not once fought back and just stayed on all fours, never looking anywhere but the floor as Jenna circled us.

“I feel like stories are always so fun to tell, so I figured I'd share one of my favorites.” She smiled at me, “And I believe Amora is going to love this one the most.”

Jenna stopped circling us and proceeded to kneel next to McKenzie and cleared her throat, “Ok, in a realm far opposite of this one brewed a dangerous love between two people. They had to keep their love for each other a secret because if word got out about the said individuals, their love would be damned. So, they continued to secretly meet at an abandoned church that they both could access without getting caught, but little did they know, they were already being watched.”

My eyes quickly shot down into Jenna's and I knew exactly where this was going and I had willingly let her proceed.

She continued, “This love was being watched by the Greater Beyond due to the male individual being an undergrounder, but the legend doesn't stop there … ”

She stood and began to circle us again, “Allow me to inform you maggots. My brother and I are the descendants of the great Genevieve Dulongviair.”

I questioned, “Adelia Dulongviair?”

Jenna laughed as she poked my nose, “Precisely.” Then stopped near McKenzie, “My mother always loved collecting the souls Victoria or as you know her as Karen retrieved for her.”

She locked her hands in front of her, “It's been a passion of hers for a long time.”

She said smiling at me, “If I'm not wrong, I do believe Amora had a little something she'd like to confess to a dear friend.”

I spoke, “Now is not the time, Adelia.”

Adelia yanked me by my chain as she forced me to kneel down to McKenzie's level. She whispered harshly, “Now.”

I blurted, “I am the reason your parents are dead.”

This got McKenzie's attention immediately as I felt her eyes bore into my skin and I couldn't bring myself to look at her. This whole time I'd been in this realm, it felt natural like everything fell into place and I hadn't even pieced it together until recently. I'd gotten so close to McKenzie in the last couple of days, I didn't want to ruin it but in a sense I guess I already did.

To further explain myself, the white streak in my hair wasn't a genetic mutation of my parents’ genes, it was a mark of the damned. Any child conceived from an undergrounder with a darkened soul and a person from a different fraction were damned from birth.

As legend had it, the Dark Enchantress Genevieve Dulongviair curses the child to total damnation by stripping the happiness from the person that shares your better half and uses that happiness to make the tainted child immortal. It was a cruel way for the damned to watch the one you loved live life alone and eventually meet their ends while you helplessly watched.

For the longest time I just thought it was exactly that, just a myth but when I finally met McKenzie, I started to have doubts.

Then a couple of days ago, I pieced things together and finally realized that my immortality wasn't the blessing I thought it was, it was my curse and McKenzie's unhappiness.

And now I know the truth behind the protection spell that was placed to protect our kingdom. It wasn't casted down to protect the kingdom because it was in danger, but was rather meant to protect me.

I realized this after I remembered the day it was strengthened when The Unity caught wind of Prince Hunter's demands to marry me.

I looked into McKenzie's tear-soaked eyes and felt my heart drop, “I was going to tell you.”

McKenzie whispered hoarsely, “I am going to kill you.”

I cringed, “Actually I can't die … ”

“About that” A familiar voice boomed.

I looked up to see David approaching us while he held a briefcase between his arm and body as he clapped, “Bravo sis, braaaavoo … ”

Adelia smiled, “Ah Augustus, I see you retrieved the item?”

“Of course.” He said handing Adelia the briefcase, “You don't know how happy I am to finally dispose of these morons.”

He faced McKenzie, “Especially this one, there wasn't enough potion in the world to get me drunk enough to deal with you.”

Adelia cleared her throat as she pulled the item from the briefcase, revealing a syringe with a different liquid from the one Constantine was examining. She addressed, “Ladies and gentlemen, have we got a show for you. Before you stand the one and only Amora Vixen, daughter of Maximus and Celestia Vixen and what you were about to witness today was something historical as I call upon this day as the day I rule Vudos alongside my brother and my unborn child.”

I watched her morph before my eyes as she spat,

“Look familiar, bitch.”

My eye twitched as Adelia mirrored McKenzie's appearance and I fully understood what happened that day I thought McKenzie was mad at me.

She wrapped the chain around her hand multiple times as she raised her hand armed with the syringe. Even though McKenzie wouldn't look at me, I kept my gaze on her. If this meant the death of me, I at least wanted my memories of McKenzie to be my last.

In the moment, I felt like I could finally let her go and that crushed my heart because deep inside, I knew I couldn't. The thought of leaving McKenzie behind broken and abused brought me to tears and caused a lot of heartache. I just wished I could have truly shown her how much she meant to me and how much I wished to tell her I loved her.

But I ultimately knew I deserved this as my punishment and it freed McKenzie from my cursed soul.

When Adelia's arm came down, I fully expected an abundance of pain which I didn't receive. Instead, Constantine was directly in front of me with the needle stuck in his neck.

Fayette yelled with Thor in her arms, “Amora, get them.”

Everything happened so quickly and in a blink of an eye Adelia and Augustus disappeared suddenly and I silently cursed.

Perry helped me by removing the device and once I was free from the torture, I immediately knelt down next to Constantine and reached for the needle but he stopped me.

“Don't touch it.”

I asked, “Why? It was meant for me anyway.”

I attempted to reach for it again, whatever was in that needle had a good chance to end my suffering and I wanted it. He slapped my hand away as I continued multiple times to retrieve it.

He groaned, “Amora! Enough, you remaking my death seem less honorable and adding more pain to my suffering.”

I frowned, “I'm sorry.”

“It's okay, I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you before my passing.” He pulled the needle from his neck, “First, the original needle was filled with a reverse blood potion, if it was injected into you it would have filled the needle with your immortality. And this needle was to completely strip you of your immortality.”

I crossed my arms, “And how is that a bad thing?”

He raised his brow, “Amora … you are part beast, your immortality is the only thing keeping you from fully becoming it.”

My jaw hung open, “Oh f*ck that, you can keep your needle.”

He smiled a little, “When I first arrived here, I was fully aware of my task. As time went on, I lost focus and found love. When my wife passed on, you showed up a couple of years later and I still didn't know why I took you in. Then one day it became very clear to me and I wanted to explain myself if you don't already know why I took the fall for you.”

I nodded, “What is it?”

He held my hand gently, “I am the reason the Dark Enchantress' children found you because I was your Tempus. Back in Vudos ages ago, they tortured your timeline out of me and I knew I had to help you because of my mistake.”

I half-smiled, “Thank you for your confession and since we are the topic of sharing, I wish to tell you something.”

“What's that?” he asked hoarsely.

I deadpanned, “I actually hate mango.”

He laughed causing me to giggle as well, “I know.”

I gasped, “You did that to me on purpose?”

He shook no, “At first, it was not intentional but when I remembered you, it was.”

I nudged him softly, “Jerk.”

He smiled, “All things aside, it was a pleasure serving you, Amora, but I must pass your journey to your new Tempus, Fayette. She will assist you and your new journey in saving Vudos from your unborn child.”

I glanced at Fayette and her eyes went wide, “Oh no, no, no.” She spoke nervously walking towards us, “Are ya f*cking nuts old man?”

I rolled my eyes, “Of course, he is, he likes mango.”

“I don't care if he likes mango or not, he could literally hate bacon for all I care. I refuse to be your Tempus.”

Constantine coughed, “You don't have a choice, you've already obtained her timeline.”

Fayette argued, “No I didn't.”

Constantine sighed, “I know you did because I witnessed it with you and you can tame Amora's beast because you two share the same bond.”

I slightly pushed Fayette, “Girl you got this.”

She huffed, “Fine. But you're not allowed to f*cking die.” Then pointed at me, “Got it?”

I nodded, “Anything for my Tempus.”

Constantine smiled, “Amora, this is the end of our journey, but the beginning of yours.”

He let out a shaky sigh, “And remember to always stay pure.”

Then he closed his eyes and whispered, “Amora?” I hummed, “Hmm?”

“Thank you for making my last memories happy ones, bro.”

I felt the tears surface as I smiled down at

Constantine and grabbed his hand. Fayette put down Thor and mimicked my gesture as Perry soon joined us.

We spoke in unison, “Farewell Constantine.”

We waited out our last moments with Constantine as he slowly faded away. Although I didn't really get to know him, he helped my friends and I out greatly and for that, I knew he was a good man and his death will be remembered.

I stood along with Fayette and Perry as I wiped a stray tear from my eye, “We should probably head back now.”

We joined Stacy and McKenzie near the doors and Perry handed them a little blue potion, “You'll need this for where we are headed.”

Stacy questioned, “What is it?”

Fayette and Perry glanced at each other,

“Um … Amora, care to explain.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, “Trust me, just drink it.”

Stacy shrugged then proceeded to down the contents, McKenzie on the other hand glared at me. It took a while for her to drink it but when she did everyone finally sighed.

Fayette squatted as she placed her hand against the floor causing a bright light to appear before us.

I held out my hand for McKenzie to take but she curled Thor closer to her body and took Perry's free hand.

With all of us connected by hand, I began to speak,

“Everybody get rea—”

Fayette shouted, “Ready because we are crossing paths!”

She rolled her eyes, “Then say it.”

“No, it would be irrelevant at this point.”

Fayette whined, “Oh look Amora the big baby.” She rolled her eyes again, “Please, as if this story is about you.”

I deadpanned, “Ya, it kind of is.”

McKenzie sighed and took the initiative to jump through the portal as the rest of us plunged along without any warning.

Ok, ok, ok … let's just say I had so many questions, for one, I thought I was the reason behind McKenzie and I's tiny speed bump but Constantine's confession had me confused. I wasn't sure which story to believe but I was certain that Adelia and Augustus were bad people and McKenzie seriously hated me.

I guess you could say things were a little tense right now and I'd like to remain positive on the matter but McKenzie on the other hand was having a hard time communicating with me … and looking at me.

We continued to trudge through the outskirts of Vudos, McKenzie leading the pack with Stacy and Thor to her side.

I tried to convince McKenzie that it would be much easier if I were to transport us to my kingdom but she quote didn't want my tainted help end quote.

So I ended up in the back along with Perry and Fayette and they were starting to annoy me.

I contemplated multiple times if I should attempt to talk to her, I just couldn't handle the silence between us.

Fayette spoke, “As your best friend and newly assigned Tempus, I strongly advise you not to initiate conversation with McKenzie.”

I raised a brow, “Why?”

“I don't feel like dying today.”

I glanced at McKenzie, “I should talk to her.”

I took a step forward but Fayette held me back, “That is clearly the opposite of what you should do.”

I frowned, “I'm going to talk to her.”

I shoved her off and quickly sped up before Fayette or Perry could stop me then tapped on McKenzie's shoulder. When she didn't acknowledge me, I continued to tap on her shoulder saying her name repeatedly.

McKenzie stopped and turned around, she yelled, “What”

I felt a little intimidated by her voice so I continued to look at the ground to avoid her haunting eyes.

“I just would like to explain myself.”

“Oh? Like the reason why my parents are dead?”

I added, “And Sara.”

She squealed, “Oh my God, Amora.”

I shrugged, “Why? I'm just being honest.”

“We’ll be a little less honest.” She recommended.

Fayette was already on my nerves and somehow she still managed to make me even more annoyed with her.

“You know what? who yells 'get them' instead of doing so yourself, you practically let them go.”

Fayette stuck out her tongue, “You were closer and I can't fight for crap, ok.”

I was about to argue back but closed my mouth because I knew she was right, but still I didn't really like her call out. Maybe if she would have said like 'attack' or something along those lines, I would be slightly ok with but not 'get them.'

I heard someone clear their throat and when I looked up, my eyes locked with McKenzie's beautiful green ones.

I forgot McKenzie and I weren't done talking, honestly if looks could kill, McKenzie would be a murderer. As I studied her eyes, I noticed how dead they were to me and the gleam in her eye was now lost.

“You didn't just bring back my parents because you wanted to. You brought them back because you felt guilty, didn't you?”

I frowned, “False, I wanted your day to be special. And at the time I asked Sara, I wasn't sure if I was the reason why they are not alive.”

She crossed her arms across her chest, “Come to think of it, what were your intentions with me? Did I actually mean anything to you or was I a conquest for a quick screw?”

“McKenzie I had good intentions I swear, there is no need to throw crazy accusations around.”

The crowd oohed and I shifted from the unpleasant vibes I was receiving from McKenzie. I could feel her emotions smothering me as her face became more apparent with anger.

She stepped towards me, “Are you calling me crazy?”

I took a step back, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make things worse.”

“The only thing you made worse was dragging me through this hellish journey with the constant nagging of self-pity every day I had to bare without my parents.”

“I'd like it if we could take the volume from here down to here,” I said, lowering my hand.

She clenched her teeth, “What is wrong with you!”

She pushed me and I fell backwards onto the cold ground as everyone watched McKenzie completely lose it.

“You see this?” She held up the glass rose and threw it to the ground, yelling lies.