Forsaken & Claimed

Chapter 47

Casimir

The Priestess may have stumbled on something incredible if it pans out. I knew exactly what Alpha was looking for if it concerned the heart. There was only one place that came to mind that was kissed by hell. It would be hard to believe that she went back there of all places. Owen was ahead of me just a bit as we went to our housing to meet with Jake again.

"You know, don't you," Owen asked.

"A guess. You and Jake should carry on with the original plan and I'll follow this one. If I find her, I'll call you."

Owen pressed on and I blinked to her burned-down city. It was scary how similar she was to Hepha. If given enough time and aware of her powers, she could've taken this clan without issue. As soon as I materialized, I felt her.

"Who's there," Pandora called out.

Taking off into a sprint, my feet crushed everything in my path. She has grown way too lax over these last months or maybe she was just waiting for me to catch her. I feel bad that it took so long. The closer I got, her rag of a dress came into view, but it was nothing compared to what I saw next. Pandora's eyes were pitch black, I froze in place.

She sloppily tapped the ground around her until she touched a large staff. My heart returned to its normal pace that the demon spirit didn't take over her, but it was close. Pandora went too far above her limits again.

"You didn't learn the first time you overexerted yourself," I asked.

She cocked her head to the side a bit, "Casimir?"

I helped her up. On closer inspection, she was thin with dark circles under her eyes. Pandora was dangerously on the edge of losing control. If she went over, I doubt she would ever recover especially with her lack of experience.

"Yes. How long have you been like this?"

"Uh, since a few days ago when we blinked from Forsakea," she said.

"You went back?"

"What? No," she said, frowning.

"Pandora. It's been four months then," I said, picking her up, "If we don't fix this now it will be permanent."

She squirmed and kicked a bit. Fear and panic painted her face; her vibrations shook the air around us. It was worse than I thought.

"I'm not going back!"

"I caught you. You're blind and too weak to fight back. I say we are."

"Casimir—"

"Do you want to stay blind? Where are you staying so I can take you there," I said.

"Behind us, about a hundred feet then left for thirty and a right."

If I wasn't mistaken I believe she pouted as I carried her there. We came across a charred house with a woman outside sweeping. Upon seeing me, she ran inside. A man with a missing hand came out. I remember him from that day in the alley. They have been out here for four months together.

"Any lovers I should know about," I asked.

"Sid? Mary?"

"Is everything okay," Sid asked, gripping his ax.

"When were you going to tell me I've been asleep for four months," she yelled.

"You weren't. It was more like a trance-like state. You spoke and ate, but didn't sleep until the last few days. I thought it was normal for you to heal."

"Fuck," I said, "We need to do this now."

The damn thing had taken over her. There's no telling the damage done.

"Do what?"

"The same thing you did for Owen. This will take all my power, but I should be able to restore your sight."

I may need Ares' and Owen's help, but if I call them, they won't let her go again. I won't be able to bring her in and claim her as my own either.

They did a good job fixing the run-down house, it looked better inside. Mary and Sid followed in behind us.

"Wait outside. We'll need privacy for this."

"Hold on. I didn't agree to this," she said.

I placed her on the bed and removed my jacket. In the pouch around my waist, I pulled out a vial and downed it. The last thing I needed was to lose control too.

"It's either this, Forsakea, or blindness. You have to be sure or it won't work anyway."

"If it can save your vision, you should," Sid said, "Come, Mary. We'll go and prepare dinner."

Once I was sure the other two were gone, I sat next to her.

"Am I not good enough for you? I know I'm not a thoroughbred like Owen or as smart as Ares, but I think I have some good qualities too," I said.

Maybe it was all in my head. Had to be if she preferred to stay blind over fucking me.

"You do. I don't want us to do this out of necessity, but because we both want to," she said.

"So, it would be a necessity to you?"

She looked at me and for a second I forgot she couldn't see me.

"No," she said.

"I've been willing. I've thought about it since that day you saved my life."

Pandora reached over and found my hand. She squeezed it tight.

"We will. When the time is right. I don't want to, not under these conditions," she said.

It felt like she was trying to let me down easy, but I knew her well enough to know that she would just tell me to go fuck myself instead of being nice. I could just take her back, claim her, and ask for forgiveness later, but how long would it take? She's stubborn enough to hate me until she dies.

"Don't do that, please," she said.

Did I think out loud?

"There's a reason why I brought you back here. Why I didn't try and take you down. I think it's the same reason why you let me go that day. Don't ruin it now," Pandora said.

I released a big breath. It felt like a mistake as I detached my pouch and handed it to her. The glass vials danced together under her hands.

"Thirty? What is it?"

"It'll prevent the demon from taking over. Once a day, take one. If you use an ability, take two. You're on borrowed time, Pandora. It won't fix it, there's only one way to do that since you're so far gone," I said.

Leaning in, our lips touched. As hers began to move against mine, she pushed at my chest, "Can't we just do it without everything in between?"

She pulled me on top of her. Pandora fit perfectly with my body. We could, but I wanted something more. I wanted to give her my all and be the only one. Her hands took my hardened length and pressed it against her soaked entrance. It was just as perfect as her, warm, ready, and willing.

Pandora gripped my shirt and tugged me closer. Her hot body and smooth skin did it. She devoured my mouth. I was ready and began to surge forward, but I stopped.

I blinked away before I changed my mind. I ended up in my room back in the Eastern clan. My device trembled in my hand as I dialed Owen.

"I was wrong. She wasn't there."